THANK YOU! For publishing this post. I recently accepted a paid planting role for this year's Hampton Court RHS show. I was flattered to be asked while also conflicted about witnessing so much unsustainable capitalist behaviour at RHS flower shows before. But your article has given me the necessary push to stand by a better moral compass. You may experience a hit to your professional reputation but your power lies in the fact that I feel seen. Your ethical approach resonates. I am now convinced shunning RHS shows is the only logical action for anyone caring about our beautiful planet. I'll turn down the paid work. It is no loss of earnings because I can easily book in clients who DO want a pesticide-, peat- and plastic-free wildlife friendly garden.
My flat is 5 minute walk from the Chelsea Flower Show site. I was an RHS member for decades but one visit to Chelsea in the mid-nineties killed all desire to go back. There were good things, of course, but the crowds, the long, packed, avenue of commercial stalls to navigate before you got anywhere near an actual plant, the obscene expensiveness, unnaturalness and sheer pretentious oddness of some of the show ‘gardens’ annoyed me. You’ll think me a real old curmudgeon, but I take a dim view of BBC TV coverage of the show too. It has improved since the years when random presenters joshed each other and basically just messed around, but it has declined again now that it includes a stream of celebrities, mostly with little knowledge of gardening. Does there really have to be so much of it? Do the presenters really have to gush like estate agents over the exhibits? I’ll continue to avoid the hype and garden in my own way.
Excellent article! Living in the U.S I am finding this battle very hard to fight. It is almost impossible to garden peat-free. As a garden speaker and author, I find much of my audience lacks the knowledge and the willingness to change their gardening methods. It’s very frustrating. I am with you and hope more gardeners will respond to the call if we are to save our planet.
Excellent article and well said someone needs to stand up and be counted so glad you have and so should the RHS take a lead in this. I to get fed up with garden centres too selling ‘nature friendly plants’ ‘bee friendly plants’ etc next to insecticides and herbicides we need to do things a different way by supporting local nurseries and growers as well as people like you doing the right thing
There really is no need for the vast majority of pesticides, like you I look on those shelves with a huge amount of disappointment - it’s not gardening to me and has no place in modern life when we know nature is in crisis
Hi Jack, fully support your very principled stance. And that's not the half of it: RHS are complicit accepting lots of greenwash money from companies like Aviva, including this year sponsorship for the Wildlife Trusts' garden (unforgiveable in my view). At this moment Aviva is using its economic power to force local authorities to fell innocent trees rather than spending money on settling insurance claims for subsidence. We have one such case ongoing in Wivenhoe - see my blog for the full sordid, antidemocratic story https://www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk/saving-wivenhoes-old-king-george-oak-tree/
RHS and Wildlife Trusts should both be pushing against this.
Thank you for this letter! I live in the States but moved from North Yorks, and have followed you for awhile. Here the gardening world is so embroiled in the capitalistic throw money into pest control, weed killers, mosquito control and the greenest lawn possible. The later of which is achieved by pouring water which is always rationed onto grass that doesn’t belong. Peat is still the only thing you can buy in the stores finding peat free compost is next to impossible. I have a lawn full of flowers and moss and colour, I saw fire flies in the woods at the back last summer and then my neighbours sprayed for mosquitos! No more fire flies, no more pollinators for weeks after. I am just one person trying to live with what is left of nature in this suburban desert, it is disheartening but someone somewhere has to start. Thank you again for helping strengthen my resolve
Thanks Jan, good luck to you, I know over the in the states there are additional issues with gardening. On a positive side, so many of your wildflowers are absolutely beautiful :)
Good for you. I’ve not used peat for a decade and pesticides never. Absolutely no need in a domestic garden. You’re so right that it’s about money, money = power. It’s the obstacle to all change for the good of people and planet -greedy corporations who wish to maintain the status quote.
It's all so disappointing, even when an entire industry and Government has agreed to ban something, we still can't get it over the line because of the companies with a stake in it
It's really disappointing - you can sort of see some logic in the thinking, but where does it leave those who engaged strongly and determinedly with changing to peat-free (even if they may have been initially hesitant) to now see that they have effectively been disadvantaged for doing so
I could probably understand it if it weren't the same logic we've been up against for the last ten years at least. Exactly the same argument repeated year on year out, that growers need more time. And yet, so many other growers made the switch years ago. When I read it this morning I felt punched in the stomach by an organisation I had come to know as friends.
Disappointing from the RHS because people are generally negative about pest free compost but nature doesn’t owe us perfect plants in peat-we should be paying it back.
I really hope so, for too long too many leading designers have been silent or unsupportive of peat free and stopping pesticide use. I had hoped for better but I expected too much.
Brave and heartening to read your post Jack other garden designers should be taking the lead like you. Chelsea has become quite hollow with presenters also unconvincing trying to tick those eco boxes
I have to admit, it is starting to feel very disheartening that really well known designers don't talk about these topics - as a relative newbie to this industry it quickly became apparent to me that some things like peat and pesticides had to change. I feel quite let down by people I used to look up to.
Bravo! I for one am following your lead and I sincerely hope more gardeners (enthusiasts and professional) adopt your ethos and approach to gardening, where our gardens, wildlife and nature are as one.
That must have taken some courage to post but often with integrity comes good things (along with some flack maybe). That is so disappointing. I too have been behind the scenes on the lead up and on press day, back in the 00s and I was so excited to be there, the buzz palpable but now the commercialism and 'scene' is so far away from the connected space I want to garden and experience. Thank you for sharing.
Brilliant post Jack! Like you, I simply cannot understand why using peat for gardening is still allowed. I'm not sure you'll lose followers and, in fact, you might even gain some new ones who are more aligned with your fight for nature and the harmony that's possible between gardening and the natural world. Keep up the great work!
THANK YOU! For publishing this post. I recently accepted a paid planting role for this year's Hampton Court RHS show. I was flattered to be asked while also conflicted about witnessing so much unsustainable capitalist behaviour at RHS flower shows before. But your article has given me the necessary push to stand by a better moral compass. You may experience a hit to your professional reputation but your power lies in the fact that I feel seen. Your ethical approach resonates. I am now convinced shunning RHS shows is the only logical action for anyone caring about our beautiful planet. I'll turn down the paid work. It is no loss of earnings because I can easily book in clients who DO want a pesticide-, peat- and plastic-free wildlife friendly garden.
I really appreciate your article.
My flat is 5 minute walk from the Chelsea Flower Show site. I was an RHS member for decades but one visit to Chelsea in the mid-nineties killed all desire to go back. There were good things, of course, but the crowds, the long, packed, avenue of commercial stalls to navigate before you got anywhere near an actual plant, the obscene expensiveness, unnaturalness and sheer pretentious oddness of some of the show ‘gardens’ annoyed me. You’ll think me a real old curmudgeon, but I take a dim view of BBC TV coverage of the show too. It has improved since the years when random presenters joshed each other and basically just messed around, but it has declined again now that it includes a stream of celebrities, mostly with little knowledge of gardening. Does there really have to be so much of it? Do the presenters really have to gush like estate agents over the exhibits? I’ll continue to avoid the hype and garden in my own way.
Excellent article! Living in the U.S I am finding this battle very hard to fight. It is almost impossible to garden peat-free. As a garden speaker and author, I find much of my audience lacks the knowledge and the willingness to change their gardening methods. It’s very frustrating. I am with you and hope more gardeners will respond to the call if we are to save our planet.
So with you here in Massachusetts
I am peat-free in CO. It is a struggle, to be sure. And the lack of awareness just makes
me hurt. Glad to be in this with you!
Excellent article and well said someone needs to stand up and be counted so glad you have and so should the RHS take a lead in this. I to get fed up with garden centres too selling ‘nature friendly plants’ ‘bee friendly plants’ etc next to insecticides and herbicides we need to do things a different way by supporting local nurseries and growers as well as people like you doing the right thing
There really is no need for the vast majority of pesticides, like you I look on those shelves with a huge amount of disappointment - it’s not gardening to me and has no place in modern life when we know nature is in crisis
Hi Jack, fully support your very principled stance. And that's not the half of it: RHS are complicit accepting lots of greenwash money from companies like Aviva, including this year sponsorship for the Wildlife Trusts' garden (unforgiveable in my view). At this moment Aviva is using its economic power to force local authorities to fell innocent trees rather than spending money on settling insurance claims for subsidence. We have one such case ongoing in Wivenhoe - see my blog for the full sordid, antidemocratic story https://www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk/saving-wivenhoes-old-king-george-oak-tree/
RHS and Wildlife Trusts should both be pushing against this.
Thank you for this letter! I live in the States but moved from North Yorks, and have followed you for awhile. Here the gardening world is so embroiled in the capitalistic throw money into pest control, weed killers, mosquito control and the greenest lawn possible. The later of which is achieved by pouring water which is always rationed onto grass that doesn’t belong. Peat is still the only thing you can buy in the stores finding peat free compost is next to impossible. I have a lawn full of flowers and moss and colour, I saw fire flies in the woods at the back last summer and then my neighbours sprayed for mosquitos! No more fire flies, no more pollinators for weeks after. I am just one person trying to live with what is left of nature in this suburban desert, it is disheartening but someone somewhere has to start. Thank you again for helping strengthen my resolve
Thanks Jan, good luck to you, I know over the in the states there are additional issues with gardening. On a positive side, so many of your wildflowers are absolutely beautiful :)
What a fantastic, heartfelt post. You are not alone in your thinking of what could have been done by now.
Well done, Jack 😀
Some people may shun you, but you will find your people who will support you. The RHS should be leading.
Thanks Tom, I feel very let down by people who I had hoped would be leading on this
Good for you. I’ve not used peat for a decade and pesticides never. Absolutely no need in a domestic garden. You’re so right that it’s about money, money = power. It’s the obstacle to all change for the good of people and planet -greedy corporations who wish to maintain the status quote.
It's all so disappointing, even when an entire industry and Government has agreed to ban something, we still can't get it over the line because of the companies with a stake in it
I know. Makes me feel powerless and frustrated.
It's really disappointing - you can sort of see some logic in the thinking, but where does it leave those who engaged strongly and determinedly with changing to peat-free (even if they may have been initially hesitant) to now see that they have effectively been disadvantaged for doing so
I could probably understand it if it weren't the same logic we've been up against for the last ten years at least. Exactly the same argument repeated year on year out, that growers need more time. And yet, so many other growers made the switch years ago. When I read it this morning I felt punched in the stomach by an organisation I had come to know as friends.
Disappointing from the RHS because people are generally negative about pest free compost but nature doesn’t owe us perfect plants in peat-we should be paying it back.
Excellent article and well said. I really hope it encourages more gardeners/designers to speak out too and take action.
x
I really hope so, for too long too many leading designers have been silent or unsupportive of peat free and stopping pesticide use. I had hoped for better but I expected too much.
Brave and heartening to read your post Jack other garden designers should be taking the lead like you. Chelsea has become quite hollow with presenters also unconvincing trying to tick those eco boxes
I have to admit, it is starting to feel very disheartening that really well known designers don't talk about these topics - as a relative newbie to this industry it quickly became apparent to me that some things like peat and pesticides had to change. I feel quite let down by people I used to look up to.
Bravo! I for one am following your lead and I sincerely hope more gardeners (enthusiasts and professional) adopt your ethos and approach to gardening, where our gardens, wildlife and nature are as one.
That must have taken some courage to post but often with integrity comes good things (along with some flack maybe). That is so disappointing. I too have been behind the scenes on the lead up and on press day, back in the 00s and I was so excited to be there, the buzz palpable but now the commercialism and 'scene' is so far away from the connected space I want to garden and experience. Thank you for sharing.
Brilliant post Jack! Like you, I simply cannot understand why using peat for gardening is still allowed. I'm not sure you'll lose followers and, in fact, you might even gain some new ones who are more aligned with your fight for nature and the harmony that's possible between gardening and the natural world. Keep up the great work!