Welcome to Dalefoot’s first Newsletter of 2022...
“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.” (19th century poet Minnie Aumonier)
Hopefully you are all beginning to return to normal after the challenges and constraints of lockdown and are enjoying meeting friends and family again. The above quote I feel captures the key role our gardens and outdoor spaces played, and continue to play, in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the nation.
As we step into February (already I hear you say!) spring is most definitely in the air….. snowdrops are beginning to appear, an exciting reminder that warmer weather and longer days are fast approaching. These delicate white flowers are usually the first sign of life in our gardens and a welcome sight after months of short, dark days! The joy of planning, preparing and organising our gardens for the season ahead is an exciting part of February.
Looking to a peat-free future…
The great news for the environment is that the UK government plans to ban peat use among amateur gardeners by 2024 as part of its strategy to protect peatlands.
Did you know that latest figures suggest that amateur gardeners use around 3 billion litres of peat each year and that peat still accounts for around 35% of all compost used? There are now 3 million more people actively gardening than pre-pandemic... As gardeners we can all make a difference. Going peat-free isn’t just a personal choice, it’s a way we can all have an impact in our own individual way on climate change. Using peat-free is an environmental choice which will help turn your garden into a carbon sink!
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, (more commonly referred to as COP26)
The Peatland Pavilion at COP26 highlighted “the importance of global peatlands for the climate, people, and the planet as a key nature-based solution to climate change.” IUCN UK Peatland Programme
Dalefoot’s co-founder, Professor Jane Barker, presented on the culture of horticultural peat at COP26 in November 2021.
Celebrations at Dalefoot
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do when making our range of peat-free composts and with our peatland restoration work. Our sustainability credentials have been recognised in the following awards:
The GIMA (Garden Industry Manufacturer’s Association) judges described Dalefoot as, “a company that has sustainability and the environment at the very heart of what it does. As well as delivering a great peat-free product, its peatland restoration work makes Dalefoot a worthy winner of this inaugural Sustainability Award”.
RHS Sustainable Garden Product of the Year 2021 - Our Wool Compost with Comfrey range was one of 10 products shortlisted by a panel of experts for the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year 2021 which highlights the importance of sustainability in horticulture.
We are proud winners of The Rural Business Awards North Sustainability and Environmental Impact Award 2021. As regional winners, we are now through to the National Final taking place this month! Wish us luck!
We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Eden Project to promote super-sustainable gardening. Eden Project, a world-renowned environmental charity and social enterprise, connects us with each other and the living world, exploring how we can work towards a better future. Working together with the Eden Project to help fight climate change, we want to inspire Britain’s gardeners to embrace sustainable gardening and switch to using “climate positive” peat-free compost in outdoor spaces, window boxes and allotments.
What's coming up...
Another exciting bit of news from the team at Dalefoot is that we have teamed up with the Eden Project at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022. We have been attending RHS Chelsea Flower Show for over 20 years and this year in addition to our usual stand (AR545), we have been invited to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 Discovery Zone and plan an inspirational educational experience hosted together with the Eden Project…more info to follow!
We'll also be at BBC Gardeners World Live and RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival this year. Come and see us!