Images: Flowers from the Farm
So, what are the sustainable choices for climate-conscious romantics seeking out sustainable flowers? Just as with fruits and vegetables, making a lower impact choice means seeking out seasonal produce. You would be forgiven for thinking that the options are limited, with British gardens only just waking up from the depths of winter at this time of year. At home, the tiny white snowdrops and crocuses are in full flow, but only the earliest blossoms are starting to burst on selective trees, as shrubs and hellebores wake up from the winter.
But there’s hope. Thankfully, after decades of decline, the British cut flower industry is going through a resurgence. In the traditional growing areas in the south and east regions of the country, a new generation of large-scale growers are producing marketable, seasonal cut flowers. I am very proud to have been a part of it, ever since my husband and I gave up life as we knew it 11 years ago, bought an old farm and dedicated that land to growing as many varieties of flowers we could find. The aim was to create a sustainable floristry business, and now, almost a decade later, during our growing season flower pens burst with colour and scent, humming with insect life as the flowers grow naturally.