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You are here: Home / Archives for Grown Flowers

Royal Wedding Flowers

January 27, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Where better to show off British grown flowers than at a royal wedding in front of a global audience of tens of millions of people.

It is hoped that UK grown seasonal flowers will be found in the wedding bouquet and in Westminster Abbey.

During this period of economic austerity, choosing British grown flowers would not only keep costs down but give a much needed boost to the British flower growing industry.

Seasonal British flowers

white_hyacinth

The exquisite perfume and jasmine like blooms make the Hyacinth a perfect wedding flower

With the wedding on the 29th April, British growers will have an abundance of blooms for dressing the Abbey, Kate’s Bouquet and the reception venue.

Flowers likely to be in season are; Allium, Anenome, Antirrhinum, Bluebell, Calla Lilies, Columbine, Cow Parsley, Delphinium, Eucalyptus, Freesia, Fritillaries, Hyacinth, Iris, Larkspur, Lilies, Lily of the Valley, Magnolia, Narcissi, Ranunculus, Rosemary, Scabious, Sweet Peas, Tulips, veronica, Viburnum and Violets.

Current fashion trends in pale violet and  dusky pinks, will blend well with creams and white to compliment Kate’s colouring, giving a classic romantic feel.

Royal wedding dress

Of course, Kate Middleton’s wedding dress will dictate the style and type of flowers she carries.

With rumours surrounding well respected British couture designer Bruce Oldfield, a favorite of Princess Diana and Daniella Issa Helayel, who designed Catherine’s classic but modern blue engagement dress.

Rumours aside, a bride has the prerogative of keeping her wedding day dress a secret and for that matter, her flowers too but if a British dress designer is in the fray then let’s hope British flowers will be too.

The flowers could possibly be linked to family connections or memories.  The Duchy of Cornwall, and the Principality of Wales could be a token to Prince William’s family links. Other flowers may be symbolic of the colours found in Kenya, where William and Kate became engaged.

A lovely, personal touch would be to use some flowers from Prince Charles’ own Highgrove gardens.

Chelsea Flower Show

With the Chelsea Flower show only days after the Royal wedding, many designers will be desperate to get some inkling of what the wedding flowers will be.

Gardening follows  trends and the royal flowers are  likely to have an impact on our garden design and the types of flowers we grow next season.

Westminster Abbey

Since 960AD, Westminster Abbey has had close links with the British Monarchy and it came as no surprise that the wedding of the future King William to Catherine Middleton will be held in this wonderful Gothic building.

Announcements from St James’s Palace have confirmed that the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, will conduct the service at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011 and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr Rowan Williams, will marry Prince William and Miss Middleton.

The address will be given by the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres.

The statement also confirmed that the wedding service will begin at 11am.

Westminster Abbey itself is no stranger to stunning flower displays.  In 2010 the Abbey played host to the NAFAS “Rejoice” Festival of Flowers.

Cosmati pavement

This will also be the first year that the newly restored Medieval Cosmati pavement in front of the altar will be visible.  The muted pinks reflected in the stonework may have some influence over Kate’s choice of flowers.

The Middleton family operate a successful party planning business and no doubt it will be strange to be at the other end of an event.

Are you involved in the Royal wedding?

If you are involved in dressing the Abbey or making the wedding flowers, we would be keen to hear from you before or after the wedding.  Are you using British Flowers?

More information

HRH Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton – Updates on the royal wedding.

Westminster Abbey - Keep up to date with events, including the Royal Wedding.





Filed Under: Design, Features, Royal Wedding 2011 Tagged With: Bluebells, British Monarchy, Calla Lilies, Columbines, Couture Designer, Cow Parsley, Current Fashion Trends, Daniella Issa Helayel, Duchy Of Cornwall, Economic Austerity, Flower Show, Grown Flowers, Hyacinths, Imapct, Kate Middleton, Lily Of The Valley, Perogative, Princess Diana, Ranunculus, Reception Venue, Royal Wedding, Seasonal Flowers, Type Of Flowers, Types Of Flowers, Viburnum, Wedding Bouquet, Wedding Flowers, Westminster Abbey, William And Kate

British Flower Industry Research

December 16, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Information is required from British flower growers and retailers for a research project.

One of our readers, a student studying a BA Hons course in Commercial Floral Design at Myerscough College in Preston, is researching the British cut flower industry and would like to know how British flower growers are surviving in this economic climate.

Alstromeria

Grown in the UK

Is this a thriving or struggling industry?

What are the main challenges facing British growers?

Why do the British not buy more British grown flowers?

Our reader would be grateful to those in the British flower growing and retailing industry for any information to allow her to complete her dissertation.

Please post your views and responses via the comments section at the end of this article.

With the authors’ permission, we will publish the dissertation on this website.





Filed Under: Features Tagged With: Arrangers, Buy Flowers, Challenges, Comments Section, Cut Flower, Dissertation, Economic Climate, Floral Design, Flower Growers, Flower Industry, Flower Information, Good Afternoon, Grown Flowers, Industry Information, Retailing Industry, Thalictrum

Suppliers

April 5, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Britain is proud to have a number of growers and suppliers of British cut flowers with many of them specialising in particular varieties.

Whether you are looking for a trade flower supplier or want an arrangement for a special event or gift, you are sure to find just what you are looking for…

Allwoods

Stock over 200 different varieties of Dianthus. Also grow Lavenders, Penstemons and other garden plants.
The home of the famous Allwoodii pink, such as Doris, the ideal garden pink with their ability to flower all summer long, the beautiful scent is a delight in any garden, listed as Long Flowering Pinks. Extensive range of laced and Old World pinks some dating back to as early as the 1600′s! and other famous ones like Mrs Sinkins.

Babylon Flowers

Seasonal, British grown flowers, straight from the garden into your house. Our flowers are all grown at our nursery in Oxfordshire so the only “air miles” they travel are from us to you. Generous bunches of guilt free, hand tied, scented and glorious flowers.

Bella and Fifi

Bella & Fifi, floral bonnes vivantes, creating bespoke stunning designs from hand selected seasonal flowers.
Working with locally grown and organic flowers, filling chattering dinner tables, joyous wedding parties and private events with floral sensory indulgence – beautiful, fragrant and poetic blooms.
Whatever the brief or budget, from personal delivery to society ball, with every design combines creativity, love and passion, to stir up a little bit of floral alchemy.

Blooming Green

Local, seasonal flowers, in every shade — as long as it’s ‘green’
Blooming Green was set up on a family farm in Kent, to offer people an eco-friendly alternative to conventional floristry
We create gorgeous hand-tied bouquets wrapped in home-compostable and recycled packaging and provide a ‘green’ alternative to conventional flowers for your wedding or event.
See the website for the latest in special events and workshops.

Catkin Flowers

Catkin offers a complete floristry service, with a difference! Based in Lincolnshire, growing their our own flowers in a sustainable way- reducing environmental impact.
Specialise in flowers for weddings, parties or stunning bouquets.

Cornish Country Flowers

Grown on the family farm at Hayle in Cornwall and occasionally sourced from other Cornish or British flower growers.
Top quality flowers are cut by us, conditioned then packed with your message on a card. The flowers can either be sent by Royal Mail First Class Post or delivered to TR27 postcodes on request.
A wide range of flowers, including Pinks, Sunflowers, Sweet Peas, Asters, Sweet William, Violets, Anemone and Ranunculus to name a few.
Flowers are also supplied to wholesale customers in Cornwall and a local distribution company who sell our flowers all over the Country, as far afield as Scotland.

Country Roses

Situated on the border of Essex and Suffolk in the Stour valley in the heart of Constable Country. Fabulous fragrant fresh cut roses. Uniquely, all home grown in the UK ONLY, which means no carbon footprint, no air-miles.
Perfect for weddings, christenings, birthdays, anniversaries, parties, lunches and all imaginable social events.
Over 60 varieties of English garden roses in every colour of the rainbow.

David Austin Roses

David Austin’s cut roses have the wonderful old rose forms and natural charm of garden roses. Delivered as open buds, they gradually reveal their beautiful rosette forms. They are ideal for weddings, celebrations and special events.

EJ Hart

Based in London’s New Covent Garden Market this family run business has been providing quality flowers to hotels, businesses, the trade and flower shops for over 50 years. Have access to a wide range of British grown flowers.

Fentongollan Flower Farm

Exquisite Cornish Daffodils direct from the farm for home and wholesale sales.

Florist in the Forest

Whether you require a bouquet for your home or as a gift, floral arrangements for your wedding or other events, sympathy flowers and arrangements for a funeral, or eye-catching displays for your office or business, Florist in the Forest can provide individually tailored floral designs to meet your requirements.
Based on the Kent and East Sussex border, close to Tunbridge Wells and the village of Groombridge, many of the flowers Katherine uses in her work are grown in the cutting garden adjacent to the Florist in the Forest studio in the beautiful surroundings of Broadwater Forest. If you are looking for a natural, country style then you are invited to come along and be inspired.

Flowers by Clowance

Clowance Wood Nurseries are a family run cornish cut Flower nursery established for over 63 years, in the heart of the horticultural growing region of Cornwall.
A commercial nursery, specialises in large scale production of protected cut flowers. With over two and a half acres of modern glass, half an acre of protected plastic tunnels, and 30+ acres of arable farm land.
The Nursery also has a large wholesale/florist sundry department, supplying all the main florists in the South West, six days a week.
Three full time florists can produce anything from a simple cello of freshly picked Cornish flowers, to a complete wedding order including church and reception arrangements.

Flowers From Cornwall

Wholesale supplier of specialist cut flowers, based just outside Penzance in Cornwall, UK. A fourth- generation family run business sending specialist cut flowers to Covent Garden Market in London for over 100 years and also supply other markets all over the UK.
In recent years they have also sold bulbs and plants locally and are very proud to have been selected to supply The Eden Project as well as local councils.

Green & Gorgeous

Green and Gorgeous is a new kind of flower company. Inspired by the diversity and abundance of the English country garden, they believe that naturally gorgeous flowers come from a real garden offering you flowers from Border to bouquet.
Unusual varieties of traditional English flowers are grown locally and naturally without chemicals or artificial additives, freshly picked and arranged into beautiful bouquets that reflect the ever changing seasons of the garden.
Minimal packaging is needed,as the flowers really speak for themselves, travelling only short distances to local farmers markets. Their freshness guarantees a vase life unmatched by imported flowers.

H.W.Hyde & Son

UK growers of Lilies, Alstromeria and Tulips

Kilcoan Gardens, Co, Antrim

Kilcoan Gardens in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, specialise in growing and supplying seasonal cut flowers.  A sumptuous collection of blooms and foliage supplied as hand tied posies or larger bouquets.  Seasonal arrangements, potted herbs and perennials compliment the collection.

New Covent Garden Flower Market

New Covent Garden Flower Market is London’s premier wholesale market stocking the widest range of flowers, plants, foliage and sundries to be found anywhere in the UK under one roof. With over 50 companies in the Market the service, choice and quality is unbeaten.

Norfolk Lavender

England’s premier lavender farm.

Nurseryfresh Ltd

Supplier of wholesale and mail order flowers based in Hampshire.  John and Sally Waddington have built a reputation as one of the leading wholesale suppliers to major Flower Festivals nationwide.
Together with the rest of their team, they aim is to provide this same level of service and care to Florists and Flower Arrangers both locally, at their cash and carry and nationwide through our overnight delivery service.
Nursery Fresh are able to supply flowers and foliage for Weddings to any home or venue nationwide.

Snapdragon Garden

Snapdragon’s Garden, growing cut flowers, herbs and vegetables is situated in the Loch Lomond National Park. Stirlingshire.
Supply beautiful hand-tied bouquet of seasonal flowers picked from the cutting garden, carefully conditioned, arranged and sent by overnight courier. A range of craft gifts also available

Sweet Loving Flowers

Producer of cut flowers grown to organic standards based near Machynlleth, in the Dyfi valley in Wales. Flowers are sold at local markets and florists and local shops selling ethical goods. Also supply and arrange flowers for weddings.
Seed sowing is done according to the phases of the moon, a method they believe intensifies flower colour.

The Home Grown Flower Company

Based in Five Ashes, East Sussex. Growing and selling beautiful hand-tied bouquets and providing a full floristry service for weddings and events. We are passionate about natural, seasonal flowers which capture the beauty of an English country garden as the seasons change.
We grow an array of glorious flowers and foliage in our dedicated cut-flower plot. All the flowers are grown without heaters or chemical fertilisers and pesticides, so no foreign imports, air-miles or refrigerated lorries involved!
The growing season is from mid-Spring through to late Autumn, then at Christmas we supply fabulous wreaths and garlands.

The Real Cut Flower Garden

Located on the Herefordshire borders near the Black Mountains. Beautiful bouquets of old-fashioned and unusual blossoms can be delivered to your door looking as though you might have just picked them from your own well-stocked garden.
Seasonal flowers are available from our own gardens from March to November for next day delivery throughout the UK. In winter they work directly with a small Cornish grower to add their early bulbs to their winter and early spring mix.
Wedding flowers are a speciality, glorious natural arrangements for any situation, whether you’re getting married in a cathedral or a field.

The Real Flower Company

British-grown scented garden roses, sweet peas, herbs, eucalyptus and foliage that will fill your senses with their unique look, texture and exquisite scent. From tilling, to planting and harvesting, every bed is tended by hand. All stems are individually selected, cut, prepared and tied by the people who grow them, ensuring the highest quality at evey stage, from planting through to the beautifully finished bunches.

The Traditional Flower Company

Roses and flowers have been carefully selected for their wonderful scent, natural texture, true colour and fabulous shape.
They grow and sell luxury flower gifts and bouquets of the highest quality at working with the British seasons on their Staffordshire farm.
Flower collections will evoke nostalgic memories from the days when old fashioned traditional values were at the heart of British countryside living.

Tregothnan Floristry

Tregothnan Floristry is the first in the UK to be certified with the Soil Association for its organic produce. A few years ago organic floristry seemed ridiculous. The Tregothnan Head Gardener was asked on Radio 4 about edible bouquets and the phones started ringing immediately. There is a demand for sustainable floristry and Tregothnan has been drawing on many centuries of sustainable principles to perfect a modern day technique.
Organic trials with the Soil Association have pioneered new varieties for the UK; sustainable does not mean boring! flowers can be found on sale at Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly, the foremost retailers of English flowers.

Wealden Flowers

Sweet peas, Victorian roses, Sunflowers, Zinnia, Peony and Dahlia are just some of the 20+ flowers and foliage grown in the gardens.
All flowers are being cut to order, and mostly sold through one of the best, freshest wholesalers in the country: Newsco Fresh Flowers. We cut on the day we deliver to Newsco, and the next day the flowers are with the florists – the freshest flowers they will ever get!    Please call Newsco Fresh Flowers or us for an up-to-date list.

Wiggly Wigglers

All Wiggly Floristry is carried out at Lower Blakemere Farm. They grow many of the flowers used in the cutting patch, hand picking them fresh every day, and what they can’t grow is sourcde from other English growers.
The hand-crafted creations are unique and filled with freshly picked blooms and foliage direct from the English countryside. Expect to see the kinds of flowers and foliage that we all love: tulips, nigella, rose hips, berries, ivy, pussy willow, anemones, stocks, delphiniums, euphorbia, helenium, honesty, sweet peas, corn poppies, rosemary, sunflowers, dill and more.

Withypitts Dahlias

Dahlia experts providing;

Plants for the Dahlia enthusiast.  Rooted cuttings are available from March through to the end of April and plants from the Middle of April to the end of May.

Cut flowers
Dahlias direct from the grower from late July through to November.
Fresh cut quality blooms, free local delivery, preselected bunches or mix and match to create your own colour palette





Filed Under: Suppliers Tagged With: Air Miles, Birthdays Anniversaries, Bunches, Catkin, Compostable, Constable Country, Cornwall Uk, Country Roses, Covent Garden Market, Cut Flowers, David Austin Roses, Dinner Tables, Fifi, floristry, Flower Farm, Flower Shops, Fourth Generation Family, Garden Plants, Garden Roses, Glorious Flowers, Gorgeous Hand, Grown Flowers, Hand Tied Bouquets, Joyous Wedding, Natural Charm, New Covent Garden, New Covent Garden Market, Old Rose, Organic Flowers, Personal Delivery, pinks, Private Events, Quality Flowers, Roses David Austin, S Green, Seasonal Flowers, Stunning Designs, Wedd, Wedding Parties, Wholesale Supplier

English Flower Company

February 28, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

The English Flower Company has been buying and collecting from English growers for two years now and selling to florists where they can.

Alstromeria

Grown in the UK

Only English grown flowers are selected on either the day they are cropped or the day after at which time they will also be delivered to customers.

They are the freshest flowers possible, having travelled no more than 50 miles. There’s no delivery charge and no VAT either. Occasionally travel to London takes them to Moyses Stevens and Hayford and Rhodes,  two florists keen to promote British flowers.

Most of the growers are in Lincolnshire, are very professional and supply top quality flowers. The range through the year is fantastic including Phalaenopsis Orchids (stems and plants), Cymbidium stems and plants, Dendrobium stems and plants, Anemones, Ranunculus, Chrysanthamum blooms, Molucella, Alstroemeria, Lupins, Peonies and many many more.

The English Flower Company are proud to be helping local businesses and keeping to a minimum their carbon footprint.

They started simply with a van one day, looking around their area for large glasshouses. It didn’t take long before they found one and then another and so on.

Martyn Meadows, company owner said;

“Our decision to start selling English flowers was really a matter of circumstance. Leaving a job in London, to avoid the commute and looking for a more family friendly lifestyle. At the same time my wife got friendly with a wholesaler who delivered flowers to the florists where she worked. He was giving up the business and told her each week a little more about what was involved, the thinking being that we might be interested in buying his goodwill etc.

So, with that in mind, and coincidentally, the proximity of our new home very close to the towns of Spalding and Holbeach, where there are a good number of both big and small growers, we decided to give it a go”.

Martyn and his wife decided that they would only sell British flowers because they wanted to buy flowers at their freshest and best and to build up good relationships with the respective growers.

They felt that there might be a gap in the market for British flowers and were encouraged by a programme on tv, produced by Sarah Raven of Gardeners World. She took over a florist shop for the day and stocked one side with English flowers and the other with imported flowers. By far the most popular were the English flowers, offering seasonality and better scents.

All the larger growers they know are very keen to sell to them. Some sell millions of flowers to supermarkets, so to sell to a company on a much smaller scale involves a lot of extra work, or rather time they would otherwise spend completing what are sometimes quite long production lines.

Others are smaller producers, often a family business which has been passed down over the years. It is however getting harder for these smaller growers to carry on with their businesses as it is hard work for a relatively small return which is also not guaranteed.

Martyn feels that the three issues facing flower production in Britain are the cost of production, (heat and light) is now unsustainably high. The second is that the selling price has not gone up for a number of years, even though the cost of productio has risen considerably. To compound these two, Government legislation encroaches more and more on growing techniques.

One grower he spoke to recently has admitted that he cannot now afford to comply with recent legislation with regard to the control of weeds. Quite simply, what the government says he must do would make it completely unviable for him to continue.

With the growers problems in mind, it appears they might be desperate for sales but like many British businesses, they each have their place in the market and hold on to that tentatively as best they can.

In the last year the effect of the recession has been obvious, with two florists in the area closing down and one continuing to trade from home.  The main hurdle is the inability to compete with supermarkets selling flowers cheaply.

The English Flower Company sells flowers to anyone who wants to buy them. From florists, to businesses, flower arrangers and friends and family. They would of course like to be able sell more but there is not the complete range available that florists need. Their current range includes, Daffodils, Tulips, Anemones and strangely, all types of the Orchid varieties.

As with all businesses in this economic climate, Martyn and his wife have also used their skills to diversify and have just

notelets_images

New notelets range

produced a series of notelets with their beautiful flowers as the theme.

It is hoped that these notelets will be available via some of the leading retailers.

Currently available as four packs, each reflecting designs created from the British grown flowers of the seasons.

To contact the English Flower Company, ring Martyn Meadows on

01778 421441 or 07720 716802





Filed Under: Features, Industry Focus Tagged With: Blooms, Business Cards, Carbon Footprint, Circumstance, David Austins, Delivery Charge, Delivery Charges, Dutchman, English Flower, Flower Co, Flower Company, Freshest Flowers, Glasshouses, Goodwill, Grown Flowers, Havn, Importers, Leaving A Job, Lincolnshire, Lincs, Local Businesses, Luding, Moyses Stevens, Overheads, Peonies, Phalaenopsis Orchids, Quality Flowers, Rhodes, Spalding, Stems, Wholesaler
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