Reflecting on reaching the milestone, Charles Carr, Head of Nurseries at Hillier, shared his thoughts on the challenges, successes, and future direction.
“Transitioning to peat-free growing has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding journeys we’ve undertaken at Hillier. For over a decade, we have been committed to reducing our reliance on peat, starting with making 40% of our operations peat-free long before the industry at large began to address this issue. Now, in 2025 we have fully eliminated peat from our production processes.
“This journey wasn’t easy. We’ve faced increased nursery wastage, higher costs and the need to fundamentally rethink how we grow and care for our plants. Throughout this process, we’ve learned to adapt and optimise our methods to ensure that our plants thrive in peat-free compost, leading to healthier, more resilient plants. Our commitment to sustainability has driven us to continually innovate and improve our growing practices.”
“Being a part of the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship has provided crucial scientific support to back up our practical findings. This collaboration, under the guidance of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, has allowed us to share and gain critical knowledge, trial new methods and contribute to the wider industry’s shift to peat-free growing.
“We’ve had to innovate continuously – refining our irrigation techniques, researching new feeds tailored to peat-free compost, and experimenting with wetting agents to improve water distribution. We’re also utilising advanced tools like probes and data loggers to better understand how the growing media impacts plant growth in peat-free compost.
“Looking ahead, our focus remains on research and development. We are committed to improving the quality and shelf life of our plants, ensuring that our customers receive the very best products. This transition to 100% peat-free is just the beginning. We are determined to lead by example, showing that it’s possible to produce high-quality plants while protecting the environment for future generations.”
Founded in 1864 by Edwin Hillier, the family-run nursery with the fifth generation now actively involved in the business, is the largest producer of semi-mature trees in Europe. The company grows over one million plants at its Hampshire nursery and employs over 750 staff across its nursery, amenity trees and 22 garden centre divisions.
Hillier is involved in various peat-free initiatives, including the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship, the largest, global peat-free collaborative research project.
