SUSTAINABILITY

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THE CUT FLOWER INDUSTRY

Globalisation has had a profound impact on the flower industry. Although there have been some benefits, it has also created huge problems socially, economically and environmentally. Platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest have changed people's expectations and we are constantly asked for flowers that are not in season. We have lost track of the seasons and it is often difficult to decipher an imported flower from one grown locally.

Our take on this is simple:

Try to use British blooms when they are in season
Use Fairtrade blooms first when they are not
Recommend long lasting designs to our clients.

BRITISH GROWN

In summer months we always recommend British blooms first and use a number of wonderful growers who help us to create these. We are so in awe of our suppliers who put so much time and love into the stems that are grown. We base our mood boards on specific colour palettes and always recommend our clients have a degree of flexibility when it comes to plant varieties. We will always ensure the colour ways and overall aesthetics are not affected. We are hugely excited to use British blooms and can't wait to see how the British flower industry grows over the next decade.

IMPORTED BLOOMS

We have thought long and hard about our stance on imported blooms. The journeys they have made and the carbon footprint of the flowers. Whilst we prefer to limit the footprint of our blooms we do also think its fundamental to support and promote sustainable practices in the wider flower industry. It is a multi billion dollar industry and imported flowers make up over 90% of the British cut flower industry, most of which come via the Netherlands. We think its incredibly important to put pressure on the Dutch markets, flora holland and growers in Holland and near the equator to help make this change and promote responsible growing. The FSO are leading the way in creating a network of growers, retailers and traders who are meeting social and environmental standards in an easy and accessible format. These standards include the working conditions, agro-chemical use, climate (reducing Co2 emissions) and increasing transparency and traceability in the supply chain.

We encourage our clients and other florists to really question where your flowers have been grown and push sustainable and fair trade blooms to their suppliers.

MAKING OUR DESIGNS

We use traditional floristry methods inspired by the wonderful Constance Spry! Chicken wire, water, Japanese Kenzan frogs and containers that can be repurposed and used for future events. Using these methods create beautiful, free flowing designs that hold their shape and last so much better than designs made in oasis.

LONG LASTING DESIGNS

We love to try and recommend designs that can go in over a longer period of time, to be changed on a seasonal basis. These involve using silk flowers and dried flowers and branches which change and evolve naturally over time.

WASTE & WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FLOWERS AFTER AND EVENT

What happens to waste after an event is incredibly important to us and something that is often overlooked. We want to be transparent with this process and promote the ways this can be more sustainably achieved.

RECOMMENDING CLIENTS TAKE FLOWERS HOME WITH THEM

We like to factor into our quotes the option for clients to take flowers away with them at the end of an event, so that they can be enjoyed for a while longer. If required we can provide 100% recyclable bags and paper for flowers to be repurposed at the end of an event.

PRESSED FLOWER ART

We absolutely hate wastage and press flowers that have come back from weddings and events. We love that they can be enjoyed in a different form for longer! We create these using recycled papers. We love using recycled cotton rag papers and send all our our pieces out to clients using packaging boxes that are eco- friendly, recycled and made in the UK. When we frame our pieces we have an amazing supplier who creates beautiful frames that are all FSC approved. FSC certified products such as wood and paper have been made from well managed forests and recycled sources.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

SOURCING YOUR FLOWERS

As a customer, we strongly encourage you to use local, seasonal flowers. There are some incredible growers in the UK, and we believe there is an unparalleled charm to using foliage and blooms that are both in season and local. If you do have imported blooms try to ensure they are fair trade and ethically sourced, we recommend staying away from dyed or preserved blooms.

MAKING YOUR DESIGNS

Make sure your venues allow more sustainable floristry practices such as chicken wire and water and include vessels that can be reused. It still amazes us that lots of venues don't allow water and only allow floral foam. Floral foam is essentially a plastic that it not biodegradable. We whole heartedly encourage our clients to re-purpose their blooms throughout the day so you get the most enjoyment out of them and it also helps to keep the cost down.

LONG LASTING DESIGNS

If you are a business or looking for an installation piece we love recommending long lasting silk flowers or dried designs that can be changed on a seasonal basis. Lots of the varieties we recommend change over time but this adds to the natural charm!

WASTAGE AFTER YOUR EVENT

Take as many flowers home with you, or donate them to charity's you believe. Alternatively commission us to turn some of your waste into long lasting floral artworks!