Sustainability - It's in our nature!

The green agenda is always on the agenda at Fernhill

It’s easy to talk big about being green. Fernhill prefers to take many small steps that all add up to a serious commitment to protecting the environment. Here are just some of these…

• Finding innovative ways to run Fernhill sustainably. Currently, we harvest rainwater to irrigate our plants and flush toilets, source electricity from green suppliers and use LED lighting throughout Fernhill’s store and grounds. Plastic bags are a no-no; all bags and packaging are now made from paper and recycled card. We’re also developing other smart ways to cut energy usage and have plans to install solar panelling throughout.
• Working with suppliers whose passion for sustainability inspires us. For example, 80% of our pots are now made from recycled plastic - who knew plastic could be green?
• Working with local producers and suppliers whenever possible. This means plants and products don’t spend days or weeks travelling to Athlone. Currently, 80% of our plants come from Irish suppliers, and we will soon grow 10% of our own plants.
• Aim to be organic. This means saying goodbye to peat and providing peat-less compost options. We’re also growing our organic seed range and replacing chemical insecticides with organic alternatives.
• Seize every chance to reuse and recycle. We recycle 93% of our waste, compost all plant and garden clippings and use this as fertilizer. All batteries on site are collected for recycling and we only use recycled pallets.
• Create somewhere accessible that everyone can enjoy. With oodles of space, we’re incredibly wheelchair, buggy and bike-friendly.
• Most importantly, our horticultural experts can tell you how to make your garden more welcoming to the ladybirds, bees, butterflies and other creatures that keep the environment fit and well.

You could say sustainability comes naturally to us. So, before you pick your plants, pick our brains!