Greener gardening - sustainable cut flowers

December is a time for giving, celebrating and decorating, and inevitably that may involve buying cut flowers for your home, or gifting an arrangement to a loved one.  It’s worth considering where those beautiful bouquets come from and whether you can opt for a greener choice.

Many of the blooms on sale in supermarkets and large retailers are grown in warmer climates, such as Africa and South America, then flown thousands of miles to the UK.  The carbon impact of commercial flower production and transportation is huge; the estimated CO2 emissions of a single flight from Kenya to the Netherlands, where distribution centres are located, are 3,800 kg and would need to be offset by 80 trees planted and grown for 10 years.

While it’s wonderful to receive a bunch of roses at Christmas or Valentine’s Day, they’re out of season during winter here, so they come at an additional cost to the planet.

A better way to buy is to choose blooms grown in the UK, either directly from flower farmers or from retailers committed to sourcing flowers locally or from sustainable growers.  This doesn’t have to mean compromising on beauty – a seasonal bouquet or table arrangement can still be a showstopper, as a good florist will know what kinds of winter flowers, foliage and foraged materials will make an attractive arrangement, with the added bonus that it will appear native, natural and fresh.