Celebrate Earth Day with our favourite eco-friendly products

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Earth Day this year is Wednesday 22nd April and marks the World’s largest environmental movement.

This year, Earth Day is all about “Invest in Our Planet”—a call to action for each of us to take meaningful steps toward protecting our environment. From small daily changes to bigger community initiatives, the theme highlights how our choices today can shape a healthier, more sustainable world for tomorrow.

We are continuously trying to help our customers make more sustainable choices when they shop with us by choosing more eco friendly products.

Below we have shared some of our favourites which you can find in your local Otter Garden Centre…

Sustainable gardening products

Introducing Otter’s own brand peat free compost

We are excited to unveiled our first own‑brand peat-free multi‑purpose compost, marking a significant step forward in our family‑run business’s commitment to sustainable gardening.

With peatland protection now a major environmental priority, demand for high‑performing peat-free alternatives has grown rapidly. Early versions of peat-free compost often struggled with moisture retention and consistency, but Otter is confident that this new blend will deliver noticeably improved results for gardeners.

The project has been led by Otter’s Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor, who said: “This new peat free multi‑purpose compost is a real step forward in making change; we’re proud to have been proactive in supporting development for our own‑label brand which our in-house trials have shown to offer superior performance to previous peat-free compost options.”

Find out more in our blog

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If you would like to garden greener there are ways to make growing flowers, fruit and vegetables even more sustainable.

  • Saving water – With climate change leading to frequent droughts, harvesting rainwater to use during prolonged dry spells reduces the demand for mains water supplies. Connect large water butts to downpipes on houses or space-saving, slimline water butts for the side of sheds and greenhouses. Linking multiple water butts together using simple overflow kits will create a fantastic rainwater reserve to keep plants alive.
  • Home made compost – This is the most environmentally friendly way of dealing with garden waste. Suitable for all garden sizes, home composting can  be done all year, as and when suitable materials are generated in the garden or home. Late summer to early winter is the peak time for making compost.
  • Peat-free compost – According to the Royal Horticultural Society, the planet’s 10 billion acres of peat bogs store more carbon than the world’s forests combined, helping in the fight against climate change. Switching to peat-free compost alternatives is easy if you know how.
    There are more quality compost blends available with additional feeds to provide optimum growing conditions. Modern peat-free composts contain more sustainable ingredients such as wood fibre, coir and composted bark. Look out for bags that are clearly labelled peat-free.
  • Grow Your Own – Growing your own food is fun, and rewarding. It cuts down food miles which is so much better for the environment. Whatever size garden or however you want to get started you can yield a bumper harvest. Tomatoes, runner beans, potatoes, carrots and lettuce are easy-to-grow for beginners; they can be cultivated without the use of pesticides; their taste is normally superior to shop-bought produce; and unlike most supermarket veg, don’t come wrapped in single-use plastic.
  • Plants for Wildlife – Our gardens make great habitats for insects, birds and mammals. Wildlife friendly plants will bring your garden to life and create a haven for nature and give pollinators and other species a helping hand.
  • Choiceful Chemicals – Cutting down on chemicals is another part of eco-friendly gardening and is key to building up a healthy ecosystem. When you do need to use chemicals for feed, weed control or pest control choose from our EcoFriendly range, clearly signposted in store.

Cosy Bird House

by Elho

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The elho cosy bird houses are a simple yet impactful way to support garden wildlife while embracing sustainability.

Thoughtfully designed in collaboration with nature experts, these stylish homes provide a safe and welcoming shelter for a wide range of small bird species.

Made from 100% recycled plastic and produced using renewable energy, they’re as kind to the planet as they are to your feathered visitors.

Clever features like ventilation and drainage help maintain a healthy nesting environment, while the easy-to-clean design makes them practical for everyday use. Perfect for gardens, patios or balconies, they’re a beautiful way to encourage biodiversity right outside your door.

Cube Eco-Planter

by Keter

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Our Cube Eco Planters are a brilliant example of how style and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Made from up to 99% recycled materials, including used Tetra Pak beverage cartons, each planter helps give waste a new life.

With their clean, contemporary cube design, they’re perfect for modern gardens, patios or balconies, and come in two versatile sizes to suit everything from herbs to statement planting.

Available in anthracite and whiskey brown, their subtle, wood-effect finish complements any outdoor space—offering a durable, weather-resistant home for your plants that looks good and does good too.

Wooden Toys

by Orange Tree Toys

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Orange Tree Toys beautifully combine traditional play with modern sustainability, creating charming wooden toys designed to be treasured for years to come.

This family-run British brand crafts each piece from responsibly sourced, FSC®-certified wood, with a strong focus on safety, quality and child development.

From colourful puzzles and push-alongs to characterful playsets inspired by classics like Peter Rabbit™ and Paddington™, their toys are thoughtfully designed to spark imagination while remaining completely plastic-free and recyclable.

It’s a timeless, eco-conscious choice that brings joy to little ones while being kinder to the planet.

Recycled Cotton Throws

by Walton & Co

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Our Walton & Co recycled cotton throws are the perfect blend of comfort and sustainability.

Made from recycled cotton, each throw is soft, cozy, and environmentally friendly—helping reduce waste while keeping you warm.

With a range of stylish colours and patterns, they’re ideal for snuggling on the sofa or adding a sustainable touch to your home décor.

Choosing a Walton & Co throw means you’re investing in comfort and making a positive impact on the planet.

Ocean Collection Pots

by Elho

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Enrich your home with maritime waste, shaped into in a beautiful flower pot with marble effect and contribute to cleaner oceans. Doesn’t that sounds great?

The Ocean Collection Designer pots are made with maritime plastic which helps keep the oceans clean.

Everyone recognizes the images of polluted oceans, and the urge to fix this is high. A big part of ocean plastic waste consists of fishing nets and ropes, which are abandoned at sea.

Good news! Elho have found a way to re-use this maritime plastic in the production process to create their unique Ocean flower pots.

For the Ocean Collection they use gathered maritime waste, that consists of collected ropes and fishing nets. That makes each flower pot unique and creates different colour tones and a stunning marble effect, reflecting the colour of the oceans. So help to prevent ocean pollution and enrich your home with the beauty of marine waste.

Eco cushions for garden furniture

by Bramblecrest

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Cushions are an important feature of garden furniture designs. On a warm dry day, our gardens or balconies are a place to spend time lounging, dining or just hanging out and we know you want to do this in comfort.

Cushions also need to withstand seasonal showers as well as a few spills here and there, so how do you also make these sustainable to protect our planet?

The outer fabric of these cushions is made with yarn spun from recycled plastic bottles. Incorporating season-proof technology, Eco cushions are not only helpful for improving the environment, they are also soft, durable and water-resistant.

Made in a variety of colourways – Charcoal, Oat, Pebble, Cobble and Fawn Linen – they are included in Bramblecrest woven and aluminium collections.

Hug Rug

by Hug at Home

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Hug Rug was designed to be sustainable and environmentally friendly from the outset, they have been made using recycled cotton and plastic bottles for over 13 years!

From the sourcing of materials, the development of entirely new manufacturing processes, using cleaner/greener sources of electricity made by hydro pumps, windmill farms and solar, through to the Hug Rug’s disposal and recycling, they try to consider everything to ensure the products they make have as light an environmental footprint as possible.

Designed and manufactured at our mills in Yorkshire, Hug Rug is the most environmentally friendly barrier mat and runner available. They are brilliant at trapping dirt, dust and mud – then wash like new at 30°C. Suitable all around the home; from the hallway to the kitchen and even outdoors. They’ll keep your floors and conscience clean whilst still looking great. Go on give yourself a Hug you’ll love it.

Peckish Natural Balance Bird Food

by Westland

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Peckish Natural Balance is a nutritious range of feeds and treats that are made from locally sourced natural ingredients. Each ingredient is sustainably sourced from UK and Irish Farms. Our selective ingredients are rich in nutrients to help birds thrive all year round.

When it comes to looking after nature, Peckish is committed to a sustainable future. Peckish Natural Balance is packed in 100% recylable plastic-free packaging and our tubs of fat balls are packed in reusable plastic packaging.

Oliveart

by Oliveart Group

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Oliveart products are made from high-quality sustainably sourced olive wood and are hand-crafted using traditional methods that have been practiced for generations.

This makes each product unique with no two pieces being the same!

Oliveart Factory has been established since 1997 under the supervision of experienced craftsmen. To keep the handmade touch, they only use the finest olive wood and the traditional methods that have been practiced for generations.

Famous for its richness, virgin oil and wood, the Olive Tree has been highly regarded since ancient times. The Olive Wood Trees are kept for 150 years before becoming unproductive and their branches can be used for wood carving because of their beautiful natural grain each.

Shop all these products and more at your local Otter Garden Centre

*Products will vary between stores

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Blogs:

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Celebrate Earth Day with our favourite eco-friendly products

Earth Day this year is Wednesday 22nd April and marks the World's largest environmental movement. To celebrate we have shared some of our favourite sustaonable products you can find in store.
Read more

Announcing Otter’s own brand peat free compost

Discover the fresh new look at our Ottery St Mary Garden Centre!
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