Watch out for the creature popping up in iconic Westminster locations on its way to deliver a petition to end peat sales

This morning, London commuters did a double take as a mud-covered figure emerged far from its natural home, normally preserved by peat bog, highlighting the devastating impact of commercial peat extraction.

The stunt marks the delivery of a petition signed by more than 16,000 people, calling on the UK Government to legislate to end peat sales in 2026. The petition is backed by the public, retailers, garden centres, professional growers and environmental organisations

Delivering the petition to 10 Downing Street, Nicola Hutchinson, Interim CEO for global conservation charity Plantlife, said: “Peatlands are home to some of the world’s most distinctive plant communities and are one of our strongest natural allies in tackling climate change. Despite overwhelming public support, the Government has still not set out a clear timetable to end peat sales. We need legislation in 2026 to provide the clarity the horticulture industry so desperately needs to help it flourish, and allow both growers and gardeners to transition into a peat-free future."

The UK horticulture industry still gets through 760,000 cubic metres of peat per year – enough to fill over 300 Olympic swimming pools and used to grow many of the plants we buy in garden centres and vegetables we buy from our local supermarket. Continued extraction is destroying carbon-rich peat that has taken thousands of years to form.

Gardeners are increasingly aware of the environmental toll of extracting peat with nearly two thirds of gardeners (63%) already only buying peat-free growing media*.

RHS Director General Clare Matterson and Peat Free Partnership Partner said: “Gardeners want to know that when they purchase a plant they are having only a positive impact on the planet. Equipped with the ways and means to grow peat free we now need Government to set out legislation that will help industry make the final transition and ensure our gardens are truly the greenest they can be.”

Guy Singh-Watson, founder of organic veg box company, Riverford, said: “Peat is wonderful at what it does, but it is very problematic. It's a bit like coal. It's been buried in the ground for thousands of years, locking up carbon, and we are mining it to grow food. That contributes to climate change and we cannot deny it. We need to push this legislation through and just ban peat.”

The Peat-free Partnership is hosted by Plantlife and brings together horticultural businesses and organisations alongside environmental NGOs across the UK with the goal of ending the sale and supply of peat for horticulture. Partners include the RHS, The Wildlife Trusts, Garden Organic and the National Trust.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

* RHS/You Gov Adults Sustainable Gardening Survey (2025).

Context on UK Government commitment to end peat sales:

• The previous UK Government repeatedly pledged to pass legislation to end peat sales by 2024 - but failed to keep its promise.

• In December 2025, the current UK Government committed to ‘legislate a ban on the sale of peat and peat-containing products when Parliamentary time allows’ in Policy #31 of its Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan and in Commitment 63 of the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025.

• In January 2026, the Scottish Agriculture Minister wrote to Emma Reynolds asking her to get on with sorting out legislation to end peat sales Horticultural peat: letter to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - gov.scot Huw Irranca-Davies MS (Deputy First Minister of Wales and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs) and Andrew Muir MLA (Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland) have also raised the lack of action on peat legislation with the UK Government.

• In February 2026, in a meeting with environment ministers from across the UK, DEFRA said it is “committed to tabling timeline options” for a “joined-up approach” to ban the sale of horticultural peat across the UK

• There is significant cross-party support from MPs and Peers; and over 60 growers, compost manufacturers and retailers signed our Open Letter to the Prime Minister. The Horticultural Trades Association’s Policy Paper on supporting the peat-free transition also calls for “clear guidance from government”.

• The Peat-free Partnership calls for legislation that:

o Ends the sale and supply of peat in horticulture;

o Makes provisions for horticultural businesses to transition to peat-free alternatives, no longer than 2 years (and in very limited circumstances up to 5 years) after legislation is enacted;

o Makes provisions for continued minimal use of peat for conservation and other scientific purposes under licence in very limited circumstances where no viable alternatives are available.

About The Peat-free Partnership:

The Peat-free Partnership is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and hosted by the wild plant conservation charity Plantlife. It is a broad coalition bringing together horticultural businesses and organisations alongside environmental NGOs across the UK with the overarching goal of ending the sale and supply of peat for horticulture in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Partnership works with a range of horticulture sector businesses wanting to see swift progress towards legislation to end peat sales, from small nurseries to large wholesalers, retailers, market gardeners and compost manufacturers. Other partners include the RHS, The Wildlife Trusts, Garden Organic, the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland, and many others. www.peatfreepartnership.org.uk

About Plantlife:

Plantlife is the global charity working to enhance, protect, restore and celebrate the wild plants and fungi that are essential to all life on earth. With two in five plant species at risk of extinction, biodiversity loss is now the fastest it’s ever been and Plantlife’s work has never been more vital. Plantlife champions and accelerates conservation action, working at the heart of a global network of individuals and organisations, to influence and inspire landowners and land managers, public and private bodies, governments and local communities. As time begins to run out, Plantlife’s position as the global voice for wild plants and fungi will help to bring lasting and positive change to our natural world – for everyone’s sake

About Riverford:

Riverford was founded by farmer Guy Singh-Watson in Devon in 1986, when he started delivering organic vegetables to 30 local homes via what was one of the first veg box schemes. Riverford now delivers around 70,000 organic veg boxes every week across the country to a loyal band of customers who share the company’s environmental and ethical ethos. It’s not just about sustainable food – Guy’s passion for ethical business led to him handing over the reins of Riverford to its staff and the company became employee owned in June 2018, ensuring its ethical values will be protected forever for the future.

Riverford has spent the past two years developing and trialling a peat-free seedling block for field-scale growing of lettuce, which is very difficult to plant without peat. It now has a recipe ready to be funded and developed, so it can be done.

Riverford.co.uk

About the RHS

RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow. Our mission is to be there on people’s lifelong journey with gardening – to bring happiness, health, stronger communities and a thriving natural world. With 220 years of experience, we support gardeners of all ages with expert advice, community and schools projects, scientific research, professional qualifications, our five RHS Gardens, and events including the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Media contact

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact press@plantlife.org.uk

Photo for use with credit: Photos by Press Association

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