It's been announced that Dobbies Peat Free John Innes 1, 2 & 3 is the winner of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award 2022.
The compost – a unique combination of loam, sand or grit with a mix of peat-free ingredients – pipped nine other products to the post, among them a pot made out of recycled fishing nets and gardening tools made from post-consumer plastic.
The shortlist of 10 newly launched products were judged on the press day of Chelsea, Monday 23 May, with judges including Dragon's Den investor Deborah Meaden and sustainability expert Chris Harrop OBE, who commented:
“Peat is an incredibly important natural ally in the fight against climate change. It’s an invaluable carbon sink, a rich haven for wildlife and improves water quality and helps reduce flood risk. People who love gardening also want to protect the environment and we are seeing day to day the impact of climate change. They are equally aware of the challenges of becoming peat free, a subject that has been talked about for many years without resolution.”
The Sustainable Garden Product award replaced the Product of the Year award in 2021, to champion sustainability in the horticulture industry and to highlight the increasing awareness that consumers want more environmentally friendly products to choose from for their gardening needs.
Read the full list of medal winners at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.