NORTH Pembrokeshire plant nurseries have been recognised at an annual celebration of Welsh horticulture.

The Royal Welsh Winter Fair was held in Llanelwedd on December 1.

It saw the Environmental Excellence Award claimed by Quinky Young Plants, a wholesale alpine plant and herb nursery based in Cilgerran.

All its plants are grown peat-free, without the use of any pesticides. Judges were also impressed with owner Charles Warner’s investment in reusable storage trays and his decision to change from round to square-shaped pots, which means he can now transport twice as many plants per delivery.

The runner-up prize went to Penlan Perennials, a nursery from Newchapel, that sells hardy plants such as geraniums via online and mail order. The business, which has been named as one of the top 100 Welsh companies in the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) ‘Pocket Green Guide for Wales’, was acknowledged for its tie-up with a carbon-neutral courier company, its peat-free and organic growing system, and for using old newspapers, biodegradable plastic, and recycled cardboard boxes to package its plants.

The winners and runners-up were presented with commemorative paperweights and certificates by Rebecca Evans AM, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Farming and Food.