What is ‘Floral Notes’ about?
Floral Notes is my notebook on growing cut flowers, gardening, design and growing a business.
A newsletter on growing cut flowers naturally in whatever space you have to do so. I also write about sustainable gardening, design and planting.
I believe the world would be a better place if we were all more connected to each other and the natural world. So I hope to inspire you to do this, enjoy soil on your hands, smelling the compost and collecting your harvest.
Why ‘Floral Notes’?
The title is a play on words. Delibertly provocative. A well know phrase for describing scent in food, perfume and wine. It has connotations of nature, beauty, fragrance, luxury and delicacy. Ironically, the flower and horticultural industry stinks. Seemingly natural products in a world lacking true connection, lacking joined up thinking for the good of the planet and people.
Tragically, scent is one of the first things to be bred out of imported, chemically grown flowers. Grow your own and enjoy the true seasons.
Who writes Floral Notes?
Me, Anna Taylor. I am a horticulturalist, plants woman and long time garden designer. Now, 9 years into growing my own palette of flowers for arranging and sale.
I grow entirely naturally and chemically free on 0.4 acre plots called ‘Anna’s Flower Farm’ in Audley End, Saffron Walden. Inland, in East Anglia on the Cambridgeshire Essex border. I’ve been a growing, gardening professional since 2001 but I reckon it’s since I have grown cut flowers, and paid close attention to my soils, that I have really begun learning.
Who read’s Floral Notes?
Those that are wanting to be deeply connected to their space, that want to work with their soil and gardens. That want long term satisfying results. These are home gardeners of both small and multi acre gardens, allotmenteers, church flower arrangers, florists, professionals that want to know more about flowers doing good for the soil and biodiversity and other small creative businesses.
I love the individual voice, offer and systems that a small business needs to help it thrive. I write about what I have learnt and through conversation and collaborations with other institutions and partnerships I have made. Spoiler. There is a lot about passion, self worth, confidence and simply turning up. It’s about a community. Your own supportive net and being interested. Day in and day out. I love it.
And in 9 years, I have pretty much done it all, expanded, contracted, pivoted and fallen over. Now I have a business that is sustaining and I want to help you cut at least a few years off that journey. Mostly for all the brilliant (mostly women!) small business owners, creatives and artists that want to do good work. Because we don’t have time to waste. There is business and good to be done.
Come for the growing tips, stay to grow with me.
On Subscribing
I send a monthly free newsletter with growing notes for the month ahead together with occasional bonus writing focusing on particular tasks, thought pieces or plants. I send out a bi-weekly newsletter for paid subscribers, these are deep dives into growing cut flowers, floral recipes and whatever I am working on at that moment and sharing my learnings. I believe in paying for peoples work, especially in a space where this labour is often undervalued. So I really appreciate all the paid subscriptions and in exchange want to deliver real value and inspiration.
You can also expense this newsletter it as an educational resource, for cpd, training and subscriptions.
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