Defra, in partnership with the RHS, has announced the nine RHS Britain in Bloom and It’s Your Neighbourhood Groups who will receive funding to help them increase their use of peat-reduced and peat-free growing media as part of the Sustainable Horticulture in Partnership (SHiP) Scheme. Launched in 2013, the two year scheme is making £50,000 available each year to local authorities and community groups,
The second year of the SHiP Scheme will be launched in January 2014. To apply for funding, Britain in Bloom or It’s Your Neighbourhood groups (in England only) must be led by, or be working in partnership with, their local authority. Groups will need to develop partnerships with their local supply chain of growers, landscapers or growing media suppliers. There are no restrictions on the size, English location, or type of horticultural project.
RHS Principal Scientist Dr Paul Alexander said: “We’ve had a great response from community groups around the country to this initiative.
“It is hoped the example set by the community groups will encourage all gardeners to phase out their use of peat based growing media. By us all taking responsibility and learning more about peat-reduced and peat-free media, we will be able to play a major part in saving our valuable peatlands.”
First round winning projects
Friends of Evington in Bloom in partnership with Leicester City Council and Petersfield Growing Mediums.
Grant awarded £2000, for a two year project
This group plan to use a growing medium based on composted bark and coir to grow a range of plants from seeds and cuttings in home greenhouses, window ledges in schools and using a community polytunnel. These will then be planted out in existing beds and containers involved in Evington in Bloom.
Halstead in Bloom in partnership with Braintree District Council and Colne Valley Nurseries.
Grant awarded £2000, for a two year project.
This group will be using a wood fibre based growing media to systematically replace the growing media in all tubs and troughs in Halstead as part of the cycle of planting and removing summer and winter bedding. Summer and winter bedding will also be grown in peat free compost by Colne Valley Nurseries.
Friends of Norwich in Bloom in partnership with Norwich City Council, Collier Turf Care and Norwich City College.
Grant awarded £6000 over two years.
This group will be using a growing medium based on composted bark, wood and green compost plus compatible fertiliser and pest management products to grow plants (mainly perennials) in selected Norwich green spaces, public, business and partner locations on a substantial scale, during which they will develop and assess the merit of peat-free growing media in replacement of the previous growing media
Caistor in Bloom in partnership with Caistor Town Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Lindsey District Council,and Waltham Herbs.
Grant awarded £4000 for a one year project.
This group will be procuring plants (mainly perennials) from Waltham Herbs, grown in peat free compost consisting of coir, composted bark and green compost, for planting out in various parks and green spaces in Caistor.
Stroud in Bloom in partnership with Bisley Community Composting Scheme and Stroud District Council.
Grant awarded £8000, for a two year project.
The group will be purchasing a medium sized shredder (part funded by the scheme) for a community composting scheme. The growing media produced by the scheme will be analysed and refined. Seeds collected from last year’s plants will be sown using the refined compost into pots and planters around Stroud Town effectively removing peat from the procurement chain. Demonstration beds will be set up to assess and evaluate the project.
Incredible Edible Shropshire in partnership with Shropshire Council, Love Plants/ Salop Leisure and Tom the Apple Man.
Grant awarded £8000 for a two year project.
Incredible Edible Shropshire coordinates community growing activity around Shropshire through a number of groups. This project involves development of community orchards, community gardens and raised bed systems in various areas of Shropshire using peat free growing media, with all plants also being grown in peat free growing media.
Maghull in Bloom in partnership with Sefton Borough Council, HM Prison Kennet and Sunnyfields-Baskets.com.
Grant awarded £8000, for a two year project.
This project aims to revitalise the flower beds and environs at The Meadows (a Sefton Borough Council Leisure Centre, Library, meeting rooms and Maghull Town Hall) using peat reduced growing media and perennial and annual plants grown in peat reduced growing media.. The physical work of re-establishing, planting and maintaining the beds will be done by re-settlement offenders from HM Prison Kennet.
Morpeth in Bloom, Morpeth Town Council in partnership with Heighley Gate Garden Centre and Northumberland County Council (Carlisle Park Horticultural Staff).
Grant awarded £6515, for a one year project.
This group will be undertaking a comparative trial of peat free, peat reduced and peat based growing media to attempt to overcome the historical reluctance of organisations to use peat free growing media and to demonstrate the quality of plants and displays that can be produced. This project will also be the theme of the annual Mayor of Morpeth School Garden Competition 2014. The group will growing seeds, cuttings and plug plants in 1) usual compost, 2) Reduced Peat compost (peat and green compost) and 3) Peat free compost (green compost based).
Urban Gardening Project in partnership with Manchester City Council and Hulme Community Garden Centre.
Grant awarded £4000, for a two year project.
This group aims to develop their knowledge and experience of different peat-free growing media, and of the performance of different seeds and plants in them, shift all seed and cutting propagation, including potting-on, to peat free growing media and to buy only peat-free plants, trees and shrubs. Hulme Community Garden Centre will investigate the potential for them to grow peat-free plants they are not currently able to source grown entirely without peat using a new stock bed funded by the scheme.
To apply for a grant
The next round of funding will open in January 2014. Please check back in January for application forms and guidelines for applying.
