A group of 238 volunteers for Friends of the Earth, Plantlife, RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts mystery shopped at garden centres and found that just 19 per cent of almost…
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National Trust opens Britain’s first peat-free garden centre at Morden Hall Park
Set at Morden Hall Park in south London, the 5,000 square metre garden centre will only sell plants and shrubs grown in peat-free compost. The National Trust has waged war…
Gardeners urged to make peat-free pledge
The Peat Free Pledge campaign is being backed by organisations including The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Plantlife and Climate Revolution, as well as individuals such as designer and environmental activist Vivienne…
Compost maker J Arthur Bower’s to launch peat-based Masterblend compost
In January, J Arthur Bower’s will launch Masterblend Compost, made from 100 per cent Scottish peat with added John Innes. Bord na Mona recently unveiled bales of Irish Moss Peat.…
Bales of peat to make a comeback at garden centres in 2015
Supplier Bord na Mona will launch packs of 100 per cent Irish Moss Peat – similar to those that were common in the 1980s and ‘90s. The government has a…
Thompson & Morgan to launch high-peat compost
Incredicompost contains 80 per cent Irish peat mixed with 20 per cent wood fibre. “When plants fail to grow, people blame us – but they don’t question the performance of…
Peat bog ‘the size of England’ is found
The peat bog covers an area the size of England and was found by a team from the University of Leeds, the Wildlife Conservation Society-Congo and the country’s Marien Ngouabi…
Cash incentives for Britain in Bloom groups to cut peat
The government has set aside £50,000 of cash in a bid to wean community gardeners off peat. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will stump up the funds…
Peat levels in compost have fallen
The peat content in composts available at garden centres fell between 2011 and 2012. A study reveals peat made up 58 per cent of compost sold in 2011. In 2012…
Monty Don says garden centres have ‘no excuse’ for selling peat
Garden centres have “no excuse” for selling peat, claims Britain’s head gardener. Monty Don, the Gardeners’ World presenter, became embroiled in a row on Twitter after he told his 24,000…