Dr Mark Gush, Royal Horticultural Society

Mark Gush, Head of Environmental Horticulture, Science & Collections Division, Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) 
I head up the Environmental Horticulture team, within the Science and Collections Division of the RHS, based at Wisley Hilltop: Home of Gardening Science. I manage a team of scientists and technicians with expertise in plant physiology / ecosystem services, soil / growing media science, water dynamics, climate change, sustainable horticulture and human well-being linked to gardens and gardening. I guide the scientific and strategic direction of the group, aligning with the broader Science strategy of the RHS, striving to ensure that the research we do has relevance and impact. Our team addresses challenges driven by a changing climate and a growing population, which are impacting gardening and the ornamental horticulture sector. With a focus on the interacting roles that soils, plants, water and people can play in a gardening context, we are researching practical interventions to garden sustainably and improve environmental health and human well-being.