Meet the people keeping heirloom veg alive in UK gardens… and doing it all peat-free. Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library distributes more than 30,000 packets of heritage seed to ‘everyday’ growers each year, while maintaining its commitment to peat-free horticulture every step of the way.

As the Peat-free Partnership continues to push for legislation to end the sale and supply of peat for horticulture in all four nations of the UK, we want to highlight organisations who have already made the switch.

In this series, industry professionals show off their peat-free success and combat common myths that surround growing without peat. Don’t let us tell you that peat-free horticulture is perfectly possible – hear it straight from the industry.

Through the combined efforts of Garden Organic’s HSL team and more than 100 of its volunteer Seed Guardians, each year up 150 seed varieties are made available to members, who select six free packets to receive. This home and community production directly connects growers with biodiversity – buffering climate change – but it also makes a significant contribution to food security.

Garden Organic and its living library are proud to be peat-free. The charity feels the delay in peat legislation is damaging our environment – and is completely unnecessary. Each year, they germinate more than 5,000 seeds across 170 varieties – and to do this it’s been using peat-free compost for many years with impressive results. Going into its 50th anniversary year, the Heritage Seed Library will continue to trust it.