Our next entrant has started 2019 with a huge commitment to sustainability. Faversham-based Edibleculture is determined to stamp out the use of single use plastic. The business, which sells edibles such herbs, vegetable plants, fruit trees and flowering perennials, has declared the use of single use plastic “illegal”. Director Chris Williams explained: “We made the decision to embrace our ethos of sustainability this year, by deciding internally that we would outlaw the use of single use plastic. We looked at everything we sold and came up with solutions to change this. Compost, plants and feeds were the biggest area we needed to come up with solutions. We eradicated single use compost bags and created bags for life, we decant all plants from plastic pots into plantable paper pots (which we designed called ‘POSIpots’ and we then re-use the plastic pots), and we sell plant feeds loose and weigh and put into customers own containers or into paper bags. We think we may be the first plant centre to do this in the UK.”
Edibleculture not only sell the plants they grow, they also offer services to customers such as garden planning, installation (based around edible gardening) and specialist fruit tree planting and pruning.
The business specialises in the growth of interesting and rare herbs, heritage vegetable plants, fruit trees and soft fruit bushes. They pride themselves on the fact they grow all plants in peat-free compost and practice organic growing methods and trade in a sustainable way.
Chris discussed what he felt his business had to offer: “We certainly haven't re-invented the wheel with growing edible plants, but we feel that we have created plants and products that are simply honest, and are grown seasonally. We also pride ourselves on making sure customers receive the correct advice, even if this means no sale at that present time. People are looking for a more traditional approach to buying plants, rather than going to bigger Garden Centres, which we feel we deliver to all who visit us. We are locals, working with locals and want to use the opportunity to improve the local community through what we do.”
Edibleculture Ltd
The Horticultural Unit
The Abbey School
Faversham
ME13 8RZ
01795 537 662
www.edibleculture.co.uk