Garden centre chain backs environmental campaigner Sir Jonathan Porrit’s criticism that garden centres are complacent about having environmental policies.
The HTA reported that Sir Porritt, who was speaking at the Garden Centre Association (GCA) conference, said that some centres, such as the Garden Centre Group (GCG), claim to be green but in fact have no environmental policies. Sir Porritt also called on garden centres to take a leadership role in green issues.

Garden & Leisure Group marketing director John Moseley said: "Garden & Leisure fully support Sir Porritt's comments. In our stores we are especially keen to encourage a greater interface between gardeners and nature - which is why we are stepping up our 'grow your own' drive and have adopted the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) as our sponsored charity of the Year for 2010.

"The group has also demonstrated best practice on green issues - including making significant progress in reducing raw materials used, CO2 emissions, mains water misuse and waste sent to landfill."

A number of staff at Garden & Leisure also volunteered to be Eco Warriors and helped to develop a staff awareness programme. The projects undertaken by the group, which won Best Environmental Policy Award at the Garden Retail Awards in 2009, have helped improve its environmental credentials and reduced its carbon footprint.

Mr Moseley added: "With environmental issues and climate change becoming more of a global concern with every passing year, I hope that Sir Porritt's comments will encourage other garden centres to look more closely at their environmental policies."