Just 14% of flowers sold in England are locally-grown, the rest mostly imported from The Netherlands, Ecuador, Kenya and Ethiopia, to be covered in chemicals and flown over here, looking and feeling a bit the same as you would, after a long-haul flight. That’s why most wilt and die easily, and nearly all have no scent.
Many flowers (including lilies and all bulbs) are unsafe near pets, so read how to make gardens safe for pets, to know ones to avoid. Florists should pass on this information to customers (same for plantable cards, which often contain embedded wildflower seeds). Never face indoor foliage to gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows.
Yet until the 1950s, nearly all flower bouquets were locally-grown. It was only when air travel took off, that big shops started to buy in cheaper blooms from abroad. Whereas 50 years ago there were ‘flower trains’ from Cornwall to London, today we have ‘flower lorries’ from Holland to Heathrow. All of this of course increases oil and prices, and therefore climate change. Most of these imported blooms are also wrapped in plastic, and shoved in buckets for forgetful husbands to quickly buy a bouquet of ‘romantic roses’ from the local petrol station, on the way home.
To survive such long-haul flights, the farmers are not going to bother with heirloom organic varieties, they choose sturdy pest-free varieties and cover them with pesticides (not good for the innocent farmers who grow them either). Not just with health risks, but they often have to wear protective clothing, often in very hot temperatures, making their job not a happy one. And as you can imagine, these farmers are not going to be treated as well as the local organic farmer at your nearby flower farm.
But the industry is so wealthy (almost £1.5 billion for the UK market alone) that it’s only grassroots consumer power that is going to change anything. Nobody berates anyone buying things from supermarkets these days (often it may be your only choice). But rather than a sea of lovely independent flower shops, a third of all flowers bought these days are from Tesco. And just like fragrances don’t have to list ingredients (some come from whale poop?), flowers don’t legally have to say where they were grown. If you live in a town near a beautiful local flower farm, chances are that Tesco are not purchasing from there.
where to buy local seasonal flowers
- Organic Blooms (based near Bristol) sells locally grown organic flowers, in bouquets or buckets. This company is certified organic and also trains local people in City & Guilds qualifications to work in horticulture, either with them or elsewhere. It offers bouquets for every occasion, along with sympathy flowers. Bouquets are arranged by season (summer, four seasons or year-round).
- Flowers From the Farm lists local indie florists who grow artisan blooms – loved by bees and you!
- Common Farm Flowers (Somerset) sells local flowers for weddings, to create your floral arrangements (and offers workshops). For collection only, these flowers are locally grown and seasonal, so not available in winter. You may have to rearrange your wedding date, but at least you’ll carry and throw a locally-grown bouquet!
- Bloom & Wild offers organic bouquets, grown on a farm in Hereford. Hand-arranged and sent in compostable packaging, £1 from each sale goes to a rewilding charity. Just like nature, each bunch is unique (so not for pet households as some blooms may not be safe). They have a good sleep while travelling, then burst to life when you water them!
how to sustainably arrange your local flowers
If arranging flowers, use eco floral foam which is plastic-free. There are now alternatives like volcanic-based fibre-floral, an ideal investment for eco-florists.
where to recycle your local flowers
Florists and event planners can recycle bouquets with Floral Angels, that turn them into new bouquets, to gift to others. Only use pet-safe blooms for homes with animals.