The Digital Dig is a major project to digitise, transcribe, map and uncover the horticultural history contained within the RHS’s collection of more than 28,000 plant nursery catalogues. The collection is a fascinating environmental and social history archive, tracking the changing face of gardening infrastructure over time. 

As part of the Digital Dig project, the RHS worked with six ‘Digital Ambassadors’ aged 15-18 from The Urswick School in Hackney to create online content inspired by the RHS nursery catalogues relating to their local area. Ambassadors received specialist digital skills training so that they could share stories they uncovered within the collection. 

Students Ade, Dani and Arzu decided to focus on famous plants imported to Britain from all over the world by the famous Loddiges Nursery, that once stood on their school’s site.

The Digital Dig project is supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund.