Is RHS membership or Gardeners'World subscriptions worth it?

[ThePrincipal]

Hello, I feel a bit clueless about gardening. I have bought some books already and was wondering if the RHS or Gardeners'World subscriptions would help me greatly in my gardening knowledge.

Has anyone used either and have you found them useful?

You can read the gardeners world magazine for free online through your library. Don't know about the RHS magazine but I liked reading mine when I was a member. Not sure it greatly improved my gardening knowsley though.

I'd say both are very good, but would suggest GW as better for beginners.

I would suggest GW for a year first, after that the topics become repetitive. Keep the mags in files so you can go to them for reference.

The RHS subscription gives you a more in depth understanding of gardening and has some really interesting articles about other people’s gardens. Plus you get into gardens free, cheaper entrance to garden shows on RHS members days and other offers.
I’ve had both and over the years have built up some useful knowledge and become a garden fanatic!

I've stopped my Gardeners World subscription and gone for an Illustrated Gardens one instead. Not so much about growing stuff but it's a beautiful magazine - I get it for the pictures!!

The Gardeners World magazine and website looks beautiful and like full of ideas and How To's for beginners. Maybe I'll do as pp suggested and do GW for a year first...then RHS...then Illustrated Gardens....

But you can get them into your inbox for free from the library...(support your library!)

Don't think you can get the RHS magazine from most libraries.

There are other benefits of RHS membership - including advice on pests and diseases and lots of useful plant info on the members section of their website.

I would also highly recommend Monty Don's Down to Earth: Gardening Wisdom as a collection of accumulated gardening guidance.

and look out for the GW 241 garden pass which comes out in the April edition with a little booklet with the garden details in.. Loads of gardens some lesser known and yes 2 for 1, for some gardens conditions apply but most are straightforward 241! A bargain.

sorry no I meant you can get the copies of gardeners world online through the library

I used to get the Daily Telegraph on a Saturday specifically because the gardening coverage was so good. I learned loads. I no longer get it because I had learned so much, and DH hated getting the Telegraph being a Guardian reader. (I liked the magazine too).

Have you caught up with Beechgrove Garden? It's on BBC iPlayer, and is a traditional gardening programme with lots of practical tips, produced by BBC Scotland. Not so many pictures of dogs walking round the garden like in Gardeners World, well none in fact, but you will learn a lot.