The RHS has said that it is delaying plans to make its flower shows, including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, peat-free by the end of 2025. It has cited a "legislative black hole" for this change in direction.
In August 2022 the Government announced the ban on sales of retail peat at the end of 2024, and in March 2023 it made an announcement on a peat ban for commercial growers at the end of 2026, with some exemptions. However the 2024 ban did not come into force due to a change of Government.
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The RHS had been striving to be peat free across all its operations in 2026. However, it is now having to make concessions for 40% of nurseries in its floral marquee at shows, which 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 RHS says that the decision is due to a complex horticultural supply chain where 60% of young plants, many grown in peat, are sourced from abroad.
RHS Director General, Clare Matterson CBE, said: “Whilst 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."
She added: “Without any Government legislation on 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 with so much effort, investment and trailblazing work we’ve had to make this decision today."
Over the last 12 years the RHS 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 commercial nurseries.
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 Dec 2025). 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’s 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 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 within its own nurseries for the last two years and has been 98% Peat Free for nearly 25 years.
The RHS is calling for funding for research and development into technology and potting compost alternatives and clear legislation. Clare Matterson says: "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 transitioning to become peat free.”