Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres is celebrating success at the Ideal Home Awards 2026, securing the One Step for Sustainability award in recognition of its leadership in peat-free horticulture.
Presented in London on 28th May, the award highlights brands making meaningful environmental progress. Hillier impressed judges with its long-term commitment to eliminating peat, alongside its efforts to educate gardeners and drive industry-wide change.
Peat, once a staple of horticulture, plays a vital role in natural ecosystems, storing carbon and supporting biodiversity. However, its extraction contributes to habitat loss and climate change. In response, Hillier has taken decisive action, progressively increasing peat-free production over the past decade and reaching a major milestone in 2025, when all the company’s own-grown plants and growing environments became completely peat-free.
This achievement reflects Hillier’s position as a forward-thinking, family-run business committed to raising environmental and horticultural standards across the country and beyond. Its work has also been recognised internationally, including multiple awards from the International Association of Horticultural Producers and the prestigious International Grower of the Year title.
Collaboration has been key to this progress. Since 2022, Hillier has been a member of the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship, a DEFRA and RHS supported initiative focused on developing sustainable alternatives to peat. Through this partnership, the business is contributing to research that will benefit the wider horticultural industry both for professional growers and at home gardeners.
Education and awareness sit at the heart of Hillier’s sustainability strategy. A dedicated peat-free hub on its website provides practical advice, tackles common misconceptions and helps gardeners successfully transition to peat-free growing. This is supported by ongoing media engagement, public speaking and industry advocacy, positioning Hillier as a trusted voice in sustainable gardening.
Adam Dunnett, Production and Amenity Director, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have our hard work and commitment to a peat-free future recognised at the Ideal Home Awards.
“Our nursery team works tirelessly to develop practical, effective solutions for peat-free growing, while also supporting the RHS through the Peat-Free Fellowship to raise awareness of the environmental impact of peat and help identify sustainable alternatives that deliver the same performance.
“The Hillier Peat-Free Hub was created with this in mind, providing customers with clear, accessible information on why peat-based composts are not sustainable long term, and how they can successfully make the switch.
“With the peat ban delayed once again, it is more important than ever to educate and empower gardeners to understand the impact of their choices. Recognition from the Ideal Home Awards helps amplify this message and reinforces that our mission to remove peat from shelves is both necessary and worthwhile.”
By combining innovation, education and decisive action, Hillier demonstrates that high-quality plant production and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand – making it a deserving winner of the One Step for Sustainability award.
