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Concessions at Shows for growers transitioning to 100% peat-free in face of legislative black hole

With no Government legislation* on a peat ban, no official guidance on peat-free definitions and little funding, the RHS is having to introduce concessions at its world-leading Flower Shows to support growers in their final stages of transitioning to 100% peat-free up to 2028

The RHS has been striving to be peat-free across all its operations by 2026**.

In 2026, an estimated 40% of nurseries exhibiting in the Floral Marquee at RHS Shows will be allowed to sell ‘Peat Starter Plants’, which started life grown in a small plug containing peat and were then grown on peat-free.

The decision is due to a complex horticultural supply chain where 60% of young plants, many grown in peat, are sourced from abroad, and to help safeguard nurseries who are vital in maintaining Britain’s extraordinary plant diversity.

However, the horticultural industry has made significant headway in transitioning to peat-free, and in 2026 all Show Gardens, Judged Floral Displays and Trade Stands at RHS Flower Shows will be ‘No New Peat Plants’ (either 100% peat-free plants, or plants grown in an element of peat before December 2025).  The UK continues to lead the world in the transition to a peat-free future***.

World-leading RHS peat-free trials have been working with growing media manufacturers and ten commercial nurseries, who produce around 500 million plants each year, since 2022

Clare Matterson CBE, RHS Director General, says: “Every decision we make is about growing an environmentally sustainable industry and maintaining our position as world leader in peat-free horticulture.

“However, without any Government legislation banning peat, it’s not a level playing field for growers leading the charge and the RHS as a charity can’t steer this ship alone. Despite the lack of legislation, we, along with the industry, have made great headway, but it’s disappointing that with so much effort, investment and trailblazing work, we’ve had to make this decision today.

“While some nurseries have excelled at going peat-free, it would be damaging not to support the nurseries still making huge investment in their transition to be peat-free. As the UK’s gardening charity, we need to support them, not punish them, for their efforts and through the final stages of changeover.

The more growers are producing peat-free plants, the better for the planet

- Clare Matterson CBE, RHS Director General

The Government has still not defined what ‘peat-free’ means for consumers, given there is old peat in the supply chain for plants that have been growing for several years. To provide clarity for gardeners wanting to choose the best plants for the planet, the RHS has created its own definitions to help the public make informed choices:    

  • No New Peat Plants – plants grown entirely peat-free, or older plants containing peat extracted before 31 December 2025**
  • Peat Starter Plants – plants that started their life in peat (as a plug plant or liner) but have since been grown peat-free
  • Peat Plants – grown in peat since 31st December 2025

In 2026, the RHS President’s Award for nurseries in the Great Pavilion at RHS Chelsea will only be open to growers who have transitioned to No New Peat Plants. The RHS is looking at other ways to celebrate these growers. 

Over the last 12 years the RHS has spent 150,000 hours researching peat-free growing and supporting the industry to transition. The charity has invested £2.5 million into peat-free research, engaged over 850 nurseries in workshops and discussions, provided tailored advice for over 200 retailers, and is undertaking major research projects with growing media manufacturers and ten commercial nurseries who produce around 500 million plants each year.

Clare finishes: “We need to save precious reserves in our peatlands to help with carbon storage and sequestration, help mitigate climate change and provide a home for nature. We’re an island here with no legislation on peat, little funding for research or knowledge transfer, and not enough support for our voluntary peat-free ambitions. We need Government to step in and see UK horticulture continue to lead the way in transitioning to become peat-free.” 

The world’s remaining peatlands store twice as much carbon as all of Earth’s forests combined, and are a unique habitat for a range of wildlife
The industry is reliant on the 60% of young plants – predominantly ‘Peat Starter Plants’ – brought in from overseas, primarily Holland. With no Government legislation on peat imports and complex supply chains, nurseries remain dependent on these lines as the UK transitions to peat-free. 
 
To support sustainable growing and nurseries to make the important transition to peat-free, the RHS is calling for funding for research and development into technology and potting compost alternatives and clear legislation.

We need Government to step in and see UK horticulture continue to lead the way in transitioning to become peat-free

- Clare Matterson CBE, RHS Director General
The RHS’ five Gardens at Bridgewater, Wisley, Rosemoor, Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr will all be ‘No New Peat Plants’ only by June this year, and the aim for its retail outlets is to be peat-free by the end of 2025, with major work being undertaken on supply chain challenges. There will be no ‘Peat Plants’ across RHS operations from 2026. The RHS has been growing ‘No New Peat Plants’ within its own nurseries for the last two years, and has been 98% peat-free for nearly 25 years.

The RHS has engaged over 850 nurseries in workshops and discussions, including at the annual RHS peat-free conference, and has provided tailored advice to over 200 retailers

*In August 2022 the Government announced the ban on sales of retail peat at the end of 2024, and then in March 2023 a further announcement on a peat ban for commercial growers at the end of 2026, with some exemptions (plug material, conservation plants, etc.). The Government announced in 2011 that unless the industry adhered to a voluntary ban by 2020, legislation would be introduced – hence the legislation proposals. The ban didn’t come into effect at the end of 2024 due to change of Government, and the legislation is now stalled. It was never part of the current Government’s manifesto.

**In 2021, to galvanise the horticultural industry and its own processes, the RHS pledged to be 100% peat-free by the end of 2025, including all plants at RHS Flower Shows. The original RHS Peat-Free Policy in 2021 stated that all plants at RHS Shows after the end of 2025 would be 100% ‘No New Peat Plants’, e.g. 100% peat-free plants or older plants potted into peat extracted before 31 December 2025. Today, with no Government legislation, the RHS is having to make concessions for 40% of nurseries in its Floral Marquees. 

***Significant milestones for the UK transitioning to peat-free include:   

  • Being one of the first countries to develop a responsible sourcing scheme for growing media 
  • Not many countries, if any, have undertaken as much research into trialling peat-free growing media with growers and potting compost manufacturers as the UK
  • The majority of the industry is growing in peat-reduced potting compost that is 50–60% peat-reduced.
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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.