Garden centre sustainability actions
Commitment at Highfield Holding 216,000 litres, a vast new irrigation water tank has become the latest planet-friendly addition at Highfield Garden World, Gloucestershire.
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ater efficiency at Highfield good about our sustainability initiatives – Garden World has been our staff do too.” drastically improved While the irrigation tank is just one following the installment of a new water of the ‘behind the scenes’ green tank. The whole business will benefit initiatives at Highfield others are more from this latest development which is obvious and customer-facing. Social one of many in its drive to adopt more media messaging and signage in-store eco-friendly ways of working. helps customers wanting to make The tank collects rainwater from the more ethical buying decisions, and in garden centre’s various roof sections the planteria there is information to which is then used to water the 1000’s support customers as they look to of plants on-site and to flush customer increase biodiversity in their own outside toilets. With predicted longer periods spaces. The range of peat-free products of drought interspersed with dramatic is set to expand while pollinator plants periods of rainfall, this pioneering and biological pest control products are approach will help the business moderate enjoying a rise in demand. and plan water use to minimise its reliance The buying team at Highfield seek on mains water. out suppliers – as local as possible “Research confirms that most of us offering more sustainable versions of want to adopt more eco-friendly ways of popular products across the board from doing things in our everyday lives, and plant-based foods to pots, pet toys we know from talking to our customers and ‘wicker’ furniture made from they are ever more focused on recycled materials such as ways they can do their bit plastic bottles. British for the planet,” says Tim made greetings Three generations of the Greenway family that built Greenway, Co- founder cards with no plastic Highfield and continue to and Director. “We’ve packaging by improve its green credentials. noticed that it isn’t just L-R Emma Russan, Sue Weaver, Joan Greenway (seated), Tim our customers who feel
Rain water collected and stored on site is used to irrigate plants.
Woodmansterne now line the shelves and customers are encouraged to use cardboard boxes for their shopping and pick up free packs of coffee grindings from the cafe for their compost. Changes have also been made in the restaurant to reduce food waste and during lockdown the business took time to understand what customers like best and buy most. “Then we devised better ways of buying the ingredients and scheduling food prep tasks so customers,” says Tim. “We are thrilled with how little food waste we now produce,” he adds. Elsewhere in the business when choosing new floor surfaces and wall paints, the business is opting for lightreflecting options which help reduce its reliance on electricity for lighting. “A bit like offering old wooden pallets to customers to make planters and garden furniture from - these are all relatively small changes. But put them all together and you start to see a worthwhile shift towards more planet-friendly and ethical ways of living our lives,” says Tim.
PHOTOGRAPHY: ©CLINT RANDALL
Greenway, Bobby the dog and Saffron Weaver.
www.gardentradenews.co.uk
GTN’s Sustainability Directory 2022 19
