Why Flowers Matter #6

A Manifesto for Growing Cut Flowers

‘Why Flowers Matter’ is a series reviewing the impact and benefits of the global and local growing industries.

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I want as many flowers to be grown in Britain as possible.

My thinking is this: if I can inspire or help you to grow cut flowers, then more and more pockets of diversity will be sown all over the country in back gardens, allotments, field margins and acres.

I believe that growing flowers (or something to eat) creates real connection to the time and place you are in. I think it fosters hope and optimism, as any gardening does, and appreciation for delayed gratitude.

I work from the premise that once you cut a flower from your own garden, you won’t settle for a supermarket flower. They just don’t have the life force growing through them, twisting and turning as they follow the sun in your kitchen, opening with their messy pollen dropping on your table and their scent wafting generously in the air.

You won’t settle for imported, industrially grown flowers. Those lifeless stems that won’t develop in the vase; simply opening a little then in a final dramatic Shakespearean death scene, drop in surrender.

No scent.

No movement.

Life force bred out of them.

And then of course, when you want flowers for a wedding, funeral, or a special present, you don’t want them wrapped in cellophane, you want a bigger bunch of the same kind of thing you grow yourself. Those flowers to truly celebrate the moment, the sentiment or event. To give a little of the now and the place.

The import industry will reduce, and the local with grow.

One flower at a time.

I want to be of use.

To help a home gardener, for farmer florists (those that grow flowers for the their own arranging work) and larger flower farmers growing for wholesale. Helping growers grow quality products, cut well and find their market.

So that’s the idea and what this is all for.

And whilst it sounds like a reasonable plan, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a hugely challenging endeavour. It is radical to grow flowers in the UK. How crazy is that? But it’s true.  I want there to be a revolution and a nation of true gardeners and farmers (1).

I don’t think we want to be told why our choices are not good. It doesn’t make the already overwhelmed any less so by knowing that our purchases are contributing to violence, abuse and destruction of people and planet. All for our pleasure. As I said, I am sure the jug of flowers, funeral tribute or bridal bouquet means to say something entirely different.

I needed to set my stand here, and tell you the context from which I am working from by writing ‘Why Flowers Matter’. I don’t like to shame customers around their choices and who really wants to know the truth anyway?

Instead, I prefer to inspire you to grow flowers. Or even simply, for you to appreciate naturally grown ones and seek them from your own local growers.

Please just don’t ever buy imported ones.

I don’t think there is moment in the year where there isn’t something delicious to cut from our British Isles, or even out hedgerows and gardens.

I will return to the usual programming and writing about growing cut flowers in next week’s floral notes. I am sure I will return to expand on ‘Why Flowers Matter’.  In the meantime, if there is anything you want to know more about, something you want help growing, then please do leave a comment and I will see what I can do.

This is my manifesto for Growing Cut Flowers. I will be exploring this list over the next few weeks - each one helps you grow the flowers you want to. Let’s get growing together.

(1) This might need defining another time.

This is the sixth in a series ‘Why Flowers Matter’. I want to take you a little further into the world of flower growing, to inspire you to grow your own and buy locally. Please like and comment to help more people find this newsletter. Better still, share it with your friends or on your social media.

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