Flower Farming Conference
I have just returned from an inspirational couple of days in Nottingham attending the Flowers from the Farm annual conference. I am not a flower farmer or floral artist but would like to think I could be! I imagined this to be a small event, focusing mainly on the wonderful aspects of growing cut flowers. How wrong could I have been.
To begin with it was a huge event with at least 200 delegates, and whilst there were some stories from flower farmers about how they established and what they grow, there were many other topics covered that made me really sit up and take notice; topics that were as relevant to me as a garden designer and lecturer, as they were to all attendees. Floral artist Simon Lycett was the master of ceremonies, whose heart-felt words were extremely poignant, about how we need to be kind to each other, especially if our practices are very different. The whole event was generously sponsored by Niwaki the Japanese tool company created by Jake Hobson, whose products are coveted by many.
There was an excellent talk about how to get more editorial and press coverage, from gardener and writer Tamsin Westhorpe from Stockton Bury Garden in Herefordshire. The thorny subject of AI was introduced by Francesca McGarey, a marketing consultant specialising in small businesses. Her message about working with AI was, to not fear it but make sure the information you input is accurate so that the advice you receive will be correct for you. A very thought-provoking talk and I left wanting to know much more.
The irrepressible flower grower Georgie Newbury from Common Farm Flowers talked about how to be more focused on business, not to sell yourself cheap – ‘charge like a rhino’ was her mantra. There was also a hard-hitting talk from scientists at Coventry University about the use of plastics in floriculture and horticulture. I left the conference very stimulated, surprised by what I had learnt and thinking how the world of horticulture, garden design and flower farming have so much in common.
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