OUR Environment and Sustainability Statement

Since our conception, we have been making conscious decisions to inspire positive impacts on the environment.

As a business we aim to make informed and ethical choices to provide our customers with products and plants from like-minded partners and suppliers, who share in the same vision.

The journey towards becoming a sustainable and carbon-neutral business is dynamic and extensive however, we are fully committed towards our goals and understand that it is an ongoing process. We are by no means perfect, and we have a long way to go but we are determined to positively contribute to a sustainable environment.

As of now, we have accomplished some short-term goals in various departments in our business, and we aim to continue in the months and years ahead.

Waste Management and Recycling

What we have achieved so far:

Our general waste is sorted and separated for recyclable material and any residual non-recyclable material is used to produce electricity for the National Grid.
Our wood, cardboard, paper, plastic, glass and food waste, is recycled.
We offer recyclable paper bags to our customers at the till.
We have introduced a plastic pot recycling zone in our plant area where customers can re-use pots.
Where possible we use suppliers that have ranges of plastic free, sustainable and recyclable products. Some of our suppliers are registered B-Corps which means they have met high standards of social and environmental performance.
We adopt the same approach to our suppliers, use of packaging.
In our restaurant we recycle our used cooking oil.
Our till tops are made from recycled yoghurt pots and are clad in a material made from recycled tyres.

Goals we are working towards:

To continue to reduce our use of paper within the business.
Continue to work with suppliers to reduce packaging and increase our range of sustainable products.

Energy and Carbon Footprint

We are working to reduce the amount of energy we use and take steps to reduce our carbon footprint.

What we have achieved so far:

We have energy efficient equipment such as lights sensors, heating timers and LED lighting throughout the business.
We use numerous local suppliers in our plant centre, gift hall, foodhall and restaurant, reducing supplier miles.
Over 80% of the plants we sell are supplied by British growers.
We use air source heat pumps to provide the majority of our heating.

Goals we are working towards:

To increase our use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy.
To install EV charging points.
Continue to source products more locally and decrease our reliance on suppliers that are based overseas.

Water Usage and Saving

Water is a vital and precious resource and we are working hard to reduce our water usage.

What we have achieved so far:

We have recently installed our first rain water harvesting tank which collects excess rainwater from our roof into a 1000l tank which is filtered and used to water our plants.
We have also invested in capillary matting and trays on our plant benches to reduce water runoff and excess wastage when watering.
We offer a range of products for our customers to support them to save water, such as water butts and other watering systems.
Our public restrooms and facilities are fitted with eco-friendly taps which operate with sensors to conserve water and reduce excess consumption and wastage.
Toilet cisterns are also water saving and dispense only what is needed.
Our Gents customer toilets have waterless urinals that save thousands of litres of water per year.

Goals we are working towards:

To continue to install further water saving reservoirs and equipment to harvest water for use in our plant centre and potting shed.
During the summer months we understand that water usage will be much higher in the drier periods. In anticipation of this, we are revising our plant area layout in order to keep plants more shaded therefore reducing the need to water as often.

Environmental and Biodiversity

We are working to reduce the impact we have on the environment generally and on wildlife and their habitats as well as creating new environments for wildlife and plants.

What we have achieved so far:

We have an increased range of peat free growing media available for our customers and are helping them make informed choices on more sustainable products and practices.
We are proud to be an active member of the community where we share our gardening knowledge with schools, gardening groups and social groups, helping individuals grow and nurture their passion for gardening and the environment.
We have sourced a specialist range of Alpines which are grown in peat free media.
We have a range of organic and chemical free products are available to our customers and we are dedicated to sharing and suggesting alternative green products and procedures wherever possible.
In the Spring of 2022 we planted a 160 sqm perennial wild flower meadow to encourage insects, plants and wildlife to thrive.
We also have a smaller wildflower garden that is home to our beehive and very own colony of bees. Any honey produced is used in our restaurant.
We grow our own herbs and salad leaves for use in our restaurant.

Goals we are working towards:

To increase our plant suppliers who grow in peat free media. Many suppliers are still finding the right balance for consistently healthy plants, this is a journey which we are taking along with the suppliers themselves.
By the end of 2023, we aim to stock growing media which is 100% peat free. Currently we are working through our traditional composts and are excited to have a complete range of peat free products available from Spring.
To integrate more wildlife habitats into our wildflower garden.