LISS Horticultural Society president Peter Catt has been awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH).

The VMH is awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), and Peter received it at a ceremony in London.

The Victoria Medal was established in 1897, with the assent of Queen Victoria, to enable the RHS Council to confer conspicuous honour on those British horticulturists whom it considers deserving.

Only 63 medals may be held at any one time in recognition of the duration in years of Queen Victoria’s reign.

This is the highest award given by the RHS in recognition of outstanding services to horticulture.

Peter, who runs Liss Forest Nursery in Greatham, said: “When I found out I was getting the Victoria Medal it was quite a big surprise and I was pretty emotional.

“I was only allowed to take one person to the ceremony, and I took Judy Medhurst who works with me at the nursery.

“I then celebrated with some of my family in London afterwards.”

The VMH medal is not the first honour the RHS has bestowed on Peter.

Peter explained: “I was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal, which is the second highest award given by the RHS, in 1998.

“The Veitch Memorial Medal is an international prize awarded annually by the RHS, so there are quite a lot of people with that medal.

“There are only 63 Victoria Medal holders though so it is really special.”

Peter has been involved in horticulture in the Liss area for many years.

He added: “I first set up Liss Forest Nursery in 1973.”

As well as a love of horticulture Peter also has a passion for golf, and he is a member at Worldham Golf Club near Alton.