Hillier Nurseries celebrates latest sustainability award following landmark year of industry recognition

Hillier has been named a winner of the 2026 Planet Mark Action and Innovation Award, recognising its pioneering work to transform water management across its long-term tree production. 

The award comes during a landmark year of recognition for the fifth-generation family business, which has also been named International Grower of the Year 2026 by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and received the One Step for Sustainability award at the Ideal Home Awards 2026. Together, the awards recognise Hillier’s continued focus on combining horticultural expertise, innovation and practical action to create a more sustainable future for the industry. 

The Planet Mark Action and Innovation Award recognises Hillier’s research-led approach to reducing the environmental impact of its nursery operations. Three years of research into sap flow, soil moisture and tree growth, provided Hillier with the evidence to fundamentally rethink how it manages water across its long-term tree production. The project saw Hillier replace a 40-year-old irrigation system with a more precise, research-led approach, resulting in around 70% less water use and an 89% reduction in fuel consumption. 

The Planet Mark judges highlighted Hillier’s combination of research, practical implementation and industry collaboration, as well as its commitment to sharing the knowledge gained from the project with the wider horticultural industry. 

For George Hillier, Chairman of Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres, sustainability is an important part of the next chapter for the business: “We are delighted to receive the Planet Mark Action and Innovation Award, particularly at a time when we are seeing recognition for our sustainability work across a number of different areas of the business. 

“For us, sustainability is not about one project or one initiative. It is about continually challenging how we grow, how we operate and how we can do things better. The water management project is a great example of that approach. We invested in research, used the evidence to rethink a system that had been in place for decades and have subsequently achieved significant reductions in water and fuel use. 

“We have also committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2040, and our relationship with Planet Mark gives us a framework to measure what we are doing, understand where we can improve and, importantly, hold ourselves accountable for making continued progress. 

“Our long-term relationship with Planet Mark has been incredibly valuable because it gives us a framework to measure what we are doing, understand where we can improve and, importantly, hold ourselves accountable for making continued progress.” 

The award also represents the latest milestone in a long-standing relationship between Hillier and Planet Mark. Hillier has worked with Planet Mark since 2019, using the organisation’s certification process to measure its environmental impact, establish a clear carbon baseline and identify opportunities for continual year-on-year improvement. 

Planet Mark is a sustainability certification organisation that supports businesses to measure their carbon footprint, reduce emissions, engage employees and stakeholders, and demonstrate progress through annual certification. Its approach is based on measuring an organisation’s environmental impact and then using that data to identify and prioritise practical actions that can deliver reductions.  

For more information, visit www.hillier.co.uk

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Editors notes

“To inspire the creation of green living spaces for now and the future” Hillier is one of the leading names in the horticultural industry, with 160 years of growing and retail experience.

Founded in 1864 by Edwin Hillier, the company remains a family-run nursery with the fifth generation now actively involved in the family business as it continues to grow.

Not only is Hillier the largest producer of semi-mature trees in Europe and grower of over one million plants at its Hampshire nursery, but it also employs over 750 staff across its nursery, amenity trees and 22 garden centre divisions and is a flourishing multi-million pound company. It proudly holds the world record for the most consecutive gold medals awards at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with 74 wins.

As one of the leading growers in the UK, Hillier is involved in many peat-free initiatives, including the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship, the largest peat-free collaborative research project globally. The company was amongst the first nurseries to become 100% peat-free across both its production nursery and retail garden centres, and all Hillier plants are grown in peat-free compost.

Recent successes for the company include the launch of its online shop, the substantial redevelopment of Hillier Garden Centre Newbury and the acquisition of the Rosebourne Garden Centre Group in November 2022, as well as sponsorship of BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, and the incredibly popular free ‘Hillier Gardening Club’ loyalty program which now has over half a million members.

Renowned for being a leading breeder of plants in the UK at its 100% peat-free nursery in Hampshire, each year Hillier introduces amazing new varieties. Many of these have become essentials in British gardens and the company continues with the tradition of innovation and the introduction of new garden plants in the present day.