Flowers

Winchester Cathedral by David Austin Roses with Sweet Peas and Nigella flowers 

There is nothing so pretty as a jug of flowers picked straight from the garden. No pesticides, no air miles, no artificial pesticides polluting the water supplies and no child labor ... Ok perhaps some child labor ... as my 11 year old daughter helped pick them. But seriously it's time to think long and hard about where we buy our flowers from, who grew them? How far have they come? How were the people who grew them treated? What effect has growing them

have on the environment and where they were grown?

The British flower industry is reportedly worth over £2 billion (Source) so it amazes me to read that after what seems to be a hugely successful revolution over the past five years, to buy British food that we still import over 90% of our flowers.  We are perfectly able to grow our own beautiful, seasonal British flowers. I think it’s time that we apply the same thought process of provenience to our flowers that we do for our food and consider how our actions affect our world.

So how can you source your flowers in a more sustainable way?

Look for the union Jack.

I’ve noticed that the Supermarkets have recently started to wake up to the fact that our home grown flowers are in becoming demand, and I’ve spotted British flowers this year on sale in Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury, Waitrose seems to have gone out of it’s way to support the British Flower industry. You can make a huge difference to a small but rapidly growing flower industry in the UK by buying seasonal local British flowers.

(You can listen to an interview with the Waitrose flower buyer below.)

listen to ‘Chatting to the Waitrose flower buyer about British Flowers’ on Audioboo

Look up flower growers in your area and buy direct.

It’s not just up to the supermarkets to take control of an up and coming industry though.  So many people go out of our way to support artisan producers, farmers markets, local butchers, our local bakers, directly  - it’s time we do the same for our flowers growers. Here is an interactive UK flower growers map to help you find growers in your area. 

Buy Fairtrade.

Being Fairtrade certified means the farms must continuously improve conditions for the workers – whether it’s their pay or how the workers live.  The age of workers are ensured to be above the legally required minimum and workers and the employee and their families of the farm receive free health care.   Fairtrade flower farms also have projects for the workers in education, health and the environment and things are done correctly.  For example the workers get proper training on how to handle pesticides and chemical fertilizers safely.  Believe it or not such a simple thing as training workers how to use chemicals correctly is a huge step forward in countries where workers have virtually no rights!

Magana flower farm in Kenya also practices sustainable farming methods. Six reservoirs collect rainwater and they reuse waste water from the green houses which means the farm uses 75% less water from the local river than it did before. (Source)

Grow your own

Growing your own cut flowers is probably the most economical and environmentally friendly way to put flowers on the table. We are lucky enough to have the space to grow our own flowers.  From planting a row of daffodils alongside your leeks or potatoes in the vegetable patch to scattering annuals through your flower beds, to planting a rose bush specifically to cut flowers from at the back of the border there is nothing quite so romantic as wandering around your garden picking a posy for the table.  You can buy seeds specifically for a cutting garden online.  I get mine from Thompson and Morgan as I find them really reliable but you can also buy them from Higgledy Garden or Sarah Raven.

How you can help  more as a blogger

If you are a blogger you have voice.  Do something to change the world today and use your voice  ... display this logo and link back to this page.  Let's pick, write and grow our flowers and let's shout about it.  Let's make change happen. 

Here are some ideas on how you can support

• Encourage your readers to buy British flowers
• Mention British flowers in your blog posts
• Write a blog post on your local grower
• Add links to your blog to flower growers
• Hook up with growers and run competitions to win a posy

You can also display this logo 

Tweet about your post using the #britishflowers tag

Being green has never been so pretty ! 

As a grower
There is a support network. Flowers From The Farm are a network of farmers, smallholders and gardeners support each other and promote locally-grown cut flowers.  Each and every member of the group grows and sells their own flowers direct to the public through farmers’ markets or at wedding fairs; at roadside stands or country shows.  It is in people working together gives them strength and allows them to champion the glories of British cut flowers countrywide.

British flowers sell themselves on sight; they are fresh and they bloom in their natural season.

They look  absolutely beautiful, they smell glorious and are locally grown.

There is a superb map of growers map so you can easily find out where to buy flowers locally to you. 

Cornish Blooms

A family business who have been growing English flowers at our flower farm in Cornwall for 30 years. Their flowers can be delivered throughout the UK free of charge with a personalised message of your choice.Through the winter months they specialise in Scented Narcissi flowers and Scented Show Pinks through the Summer

Christmas Roses

Support for British Flowers

Tulips from the garden

The top 10 English Roses for fragrance

A posy from the Garden 

A guilt free posy