This week is British Flowers Week. A chance to celebrate great British flowers, plants and foliage and the immense creative talent in floral design to be found across the country whilst at the same time raising awareness of which British flowers are in season and when.
On a personal level, we are indebted to the British flower industry for keeping us going through the insanely challenging times of covid. When shop’s were told to close in March 2020, our regular flower supplier literally closed overnight leaving us without flowers to fulfill orders including funeral tributes, last-minute bridal bouquets we still had to create, not to mention a sea of phone and web orders to fulfill. Like every industry experienced, these were uncertain times for us but, in a very ‘British manner’, we rallied together, adapted the way we worked and built some new business friendships with some wonderful British growers. Before we knew it, buckets of deliciously scented, seasonal blooms were arriving at the shop from our local friends allowing our business to continue to thrive amidst all the chaos and send our Customer’s loved ones thoughtful well wishes far and wide during lockdown.
To show our gratitude and appreciation to our nation's flower growers, this British Flowers Week we are taking things a step further and we are putting British flowers at the centre of everything we do for the whole month. Wherever possible we are going to try really hard to be using the very best of British stems in our creations. Mixed growers choice buckets from carefully selected Local growers are already arriving daily and they are just gorgeous… From sweet williams to narcissi, cornflowers and aromatic catmint, the variety and combinations are fabulous.
Managing stock levels around uncertainty of supply is going to be a real challenge for us due to the sheer volume of orders we receive but we are up for the challenge. Though there really is a delightful element of surprise with what might arrive and this anticipation keeps our florists inspired and on their toes excited by the floral designs they are going to create for you.
We will be sharing some of the stunning stems that we are lucky enough to enjoy across Britain, showcasing star species that the season has produced and well and truly shining the spotlight on some of our lovely homegrown flower farms. We will also be sharing our inspired ‘British’ creations with you.
First up is our bouquet of the month: We’ve named it ‘Home Grown’
Available in a range of sizes, These bouquets are wild and loose and overflowing with locally-grown Sweet Williams, Scabiosa, sweet scented Peonies and plentiful foliage. Shop the range and you can expect to receive one featuring seasonal British flowers similar in colour, style and texture.
Until the 70s, the only flowers you could buy came from flower farmers across Britain. Today, the majority of the flowers in your local flower shops will have been grown by European growers and in most cases routed through the awe inspiring Dutch auctions. We equally could never be without our trusty and varied Dutch flowers or flamboyant and vibrant Italian varieties, who keep the industry fulfilled. Our European suppliers are efficient, reliable and produce the most incredible flowers so will always be pivotal to our business BUT this doesn’t mean that British flowers are redundant, in fact quite the contrary, they complement international floral varieties perfectly. The opportunity to mix British flowers with European blooms opens up a whole new world of opportunities to create some truly eye-catching floral arrangements!
In the spotlight...The sweet william;
With it's pleasant peppery aroma and bright range of possible colours, the sweet william is a traditional cottage plant famous for its late spring and early summer colour.
Read about more British Stems of the month here
This year, the official theme for British Flowers Week is ‘The Future’, exploring sustainability, the future of floristry and its impact on the environment, and the intersection of nature, humans and technology. Although for the most part we already adopt products and processes that support sustainability, our creative brains are buzzing and we will certainly be taking this inspiration on board so watch this space!
Our thoughts
Flowers really do have a beautifully nostalgic way of transporting us back to a significant time or place. From the heady scent of sweet peas that evoke precious memories of your grandma’s garden or wild foxgloves that bring back thoughts of long-ago summers spent exploring from dawn to dusk. Flowers are intrinsically linked to our memories, from the first violets of the year to the last dahlias of the summer, British flowers are a real delight and will forever have their day in the sun.
British flowers and foliage really show off the seasons to their best.
If you’re inspired to join the crowd, have a look at the British Flowers Week website or search #BritishFlowersWeek to find out more about British flowers and what’s happening this week. You can even download their toolkit with an abundance of tips and ideas to help inspire the UK.