A North Yorkshire turf grower and soil supplier has been nominated for an award at the world's most prestigious gardening event.

Turf is the top layer of soil in which grass grows from.

Lindum Turf, based in Thorganby near York, has been shortlisted in the Sustainable Garden Product of the Year category at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, for its plastic-free wildflower turf.

The product is currently the only wildflower turf on the market that is 100 per cent sustainable, whereas some other turf products contain single-use plastic mesh.

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Over time, this plastic mesh decays into harmful microplastics that pollute the soil and can leach off into nearby watercourses and can suffocate hedgehogs and other small animals becoming trapped in it.

Lindum Turf owner, Stephen Fell, said the company had invested heavily over several years in creating this plastic-free alternative.

He said: "Plastic in turf is a real issue and with single use plastics and sustainability making headlines every day, we decided we wanted to find an environmentally friendly solution.

“As a result, we’ve invested a significant amount in innovating a completely sustainable way of growing turf, one that doesn’t include putting single use plastics into the ground or is a threat to wildlife.

“To have this recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society is a huge honour. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the world’s premier gardening event, the one everyone in the industry talks about and wants to do well at, so to be nominated for an award there is extremely special.”

This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs Monday, May 22 and Saturday, May 27, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.

Earlier this year, Stephen launched a campaign calling on the turf industry at large to remove single use plastics, which was supported by leading garden designer Juliet Sargeant, who won a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016, and a Silver Gilt Medal for her Blue Peter Garden in 2022.

Juliet said the gardening industry needed to: "start by educating consumers so they could make better choices when it comes to purchasing environmentally friendly products."

The RHS is also working to remove plastics from the Chelsea Flower Show.

It has banned plastic bags and floral foam across its shows, as well as plastic artificial turf, and is aiming for the complete removal of single use plastics by 2025.