Hello and welcome to The Compost Heap. 

The Compost Heap launched in 2003 with the creativity inspired by Will Digby and artwork of George Ashton – Jones.  With an initial launch of 12 designs The Compost Heap now houses over 400 wonderful characters based on the flowers, plants, fruits, vegetables, bugs and insects which might be living at the bottom of your garden. 

Each design is hand drawn by George in our cow shed nestling within England’s green South Downs.  From sketch to final design over 20 layers of colour bring each character to life be it an Apple, Bean, Bug or Bee.  We’re always watering the garden around The Compost Heap and as result 40-60 new characters come to live with us every year.  They would all love to meet you and can be found across our ranges of greeting cards and gifts. 

As you’d expect, living on The Compost Heap, we are as friendly to the garden as we can be.  Our cards are chlorine free, recycled and printed on pulp from renewable forests.  Furthermore, what better way to print our friends than using vegetable inks!  We buy local and are always looking at ways to make our Compost Heap as organic as possible.

Now the Compost Heap is annually tendered to and looked after by our wonderful team of gardening staff.  Csaba looks after all the characters within the office, helped by Mandy who ensures they all get off to you safely.  Aly packs them off to their new homes and Lesley and Tory make sure they can pay for their tickets.  Layla has recently joined us to make sure all the characters have plenty of other friends whilst George and Will continue develop lots of new adventures for them.

This website is our way of introducing us and our characters to you.  We’d love your feedback, always want to hear your Compost Heap stories and hope you visit again and again....there’s always something new.

Keep growing, get muddy and always check inside your wellies before putting them on!