This week, the RHS announced that they will ban the use of floral foam from all of their garden and horticulture shows from 2021, in a bid to reduce their plastic waste.

The prestigious events, including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Festival, will no longer allow designers to use foam in their displays and the society is urging their florists to begin trialing other materials.

Floral foam is a synthetic plastic material, made using a combination of carbon black, formaldehyde and phenolic foam, among other elements. Not only are these substances unnatural and non-biodegradable, they are also toxic to humans, which is why plastic gloves are always essential when handling it.

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Florists love floral foam for its durability. It's incredibly absorbent, malleable, lightweight and easy to incorporate into a design but, despite its usability, the new ban will be enforced after this year's shows are over.

Helena Pettit, RHS Director of Shows, said: "We are constantly monitoring and reviewing our working practices to make Chelsea and all RHS Shows as green as possible and minimise their environmental impact.

Chelsea Flower Show - Day 2pinterest
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Chelsea Flower Show Pavilion

"Floral foam uses microplastics and is currently non-recyclable, with this in mind we have come to the decision to ban the use of floral foam at RHS Shows from 2021 and have asked that floral designers at RHS Shows this year to trial alternative products where possible."

We should all be inspired by this move from the RHS to stop using floral foam all together in our own homes, too. It's hard to safely dispose of and can seriously contaminate compost, garden waste and water when its fragments end up in the wrong bin.

So it's time to get creative when thinking about floral arrangements and find an alternative to floral foam. Here are some more eco-friendly suggestions:

  • Use pebbles, sand, gravel or compact moss for support
  • Use twigs to make a supportive structure for the flowers to attach to
  • Use chicken wire at the base of a vase or planter to act as a supportive grate – cover with moss

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Emma-Louise Pritchard
Membership Director, Country Living UK & House Beautiful UK

Emma-Louise Pritchard is the Membership Director for Country Living UK & House Beautiful UK, previously Executive Digital Editor for Country Living UK. Emma-Louise is a digital expert specialising in content strategy, social media and newsletters. Her topics include sustainability, homes and interiors, gardening, health and wellbeing, pets, travel and countryside news. She has previously written for Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan and has won several awards, from AOP Digital Editor of the Year 2019 to PPA 30 Under 30. Emma-Louise studied at Cardiff University where she completed an MA in Magazine Journalism.