LANDSCAPE architect Elizabeth Christina Banks has reaped what she has sown in a world of horticulture having been awarded the CBE in this week's Queen's Birthday Honours' list.

The first woman president of the Royal Horticultural Society and the first professional to hold the office, Mrs Banks is actively involved in the community at Kington where she lives with her husband, Lawrence, and plays very much a hands on role in the world-renowned Hergest Croft Gardens managed by the Banks' family for generations.

This has been a remarkable year for Mrs Banks, who took the Duke of Kent on a tour of the 70-acre gardens as mayor of Kington during his royal visit earlier this year.

When she received news of her award, she said it was "all very surprising". Mrs Banks, who was elected deputy mayor at Kington last month explained: "This is quite amazing, I am over the moon!".

Her devotion to horticulture was already well established when she met her husband, a former treasurer of the RHS.

"In fact we got engaged without my having seen the gardens at Hergest!" she explained. "It was all a bit of luck!"

She launched her own consultancy, which has been awarded a succession of gold medals at Chelsea, and has received international commissions for her work.

Her landscape architecture can be seen in Boston, Germany and Italy and she has done extensive work at the British Embassy in France.

With a staff of 15, her enterprise was rated as one of the top three in the UK.

"We did a lot of work restoring historic landscapes, and started the restoration of Hampton Court Palace."

The so-called 'Masterplan' outlining the process for restoring historic gardens was invented by her.

In Cambridgeshire, Mrs Banks worked on the Wellcome Trust Genome campus where her task was to blend a large office block and and car parking in an historic landscape. "It was quite challenging," she admits.

Now retired, she spends a lot of time in Hergest Croft Gardens. "It's looking pretty special," she admits.

Mrs Banks was one of five people from the county to feature in the Queen's list.

Three of those were awarded MBEs – but for three very different services.

Bobby Morris, from Burghill, was recognised for her contribution to the NHS.

She has been a nurse for the last 40 years, working in Hereford and then Wales. She is currently the associate director for efficiency and effectiveness at the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

She has had many different roles and played a part in the development of a new hospital in Ebbw Vale.

Mrs Morris said one of the things she is most proud of is setting up the Charles Renton Unit at Hereford County Hospital.

She said: “I was lead cancer nurse in Hereford at the time. I also set up the Macmillan breast cancer service in Hereford in 1990. I started off on my own but it is huge now.”

Mrs Morris said she felt overwhelmed to be given the award.

Volunteer Charles Gething Lewis, who is 77 and from Ross-on-Wye has been awarded an MBE for services to Samaritans and the community in Herefordshire.

Mr Gething Lewis began his role as chair of trustees at the Hereford branch in 1972, helping not only to set up the branch but also building its success over the last 45 years.

He’s had a range of roles, raising the profile of the branch through local media and helping to secure crucial funding to keep it running for the community.

He said: “I’ve worked with and met so many wonderful people, who give up their time for free to help others – you cannot put a price on the value that brings to the service.

"Each has helped us to benefit the community and, with a growing awareness of mental health issues in the media as well as Samaritans’ work to make our line free to any caller from any phone, the demand for our services has never been greater.

"Our volunteers provide essential support and I’m determined to ensure that the branch grows in strength.”

Graham Taylor, from Upper Dormington who is a director at Pryor and Rickett Silviculture, was given an MBE for services to forestry.

He has been working in forestry since 1990 and has been involved with a number of issues facing the industry.

Mr Taylor works with the Future Trees Trust, a charity dedicated to the improvement of broadleafed trees.

He said over the years the good quality trees have been cut down for timber, which have only left the smaller trees.

He said: “It has taken out of the gene pool all of the good trees and left the runts to breed. We get the best of the selection across the country and gather them together in orchards.”

As a result the charity can grow and seed the best quality and resilient trees.

Mr Taylor also works with Woodland Heritage, which promotes the craftsmanship associated with hardwood timber in this country, and with the Forestry Commission.

He said: “I told my sons at the weekend. Ed Sheeran also got an MBE. And my wife said to my sons, if you look further down the list... I think their father went up in their estimations.”

Roger Morgan, meanwhile, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his voluntary service to the local community in the arts.

He joined Hereford’s Courtyard Theatre board in 2007, was elected chairman in 2009 and was asked to remain in position by the trustees until 2019.

By giving many hours of voluntary support and commitment to The Courtyard and through his mentorship, Roger has inspired the whole of the art centre's team.

He has been instrumental in guiding The Courtyard through a serious deficit situation to holding a reserve of more than £300,000.

He said: “It is a great honour to receive such an award. However, the success is not down to one individual, but to over 150 fellow volunteers at The Courtyard, the excellent professional staff and our many patrons and friends.”