Say it with organic, ethical and sustainable UK flowers

fresh cut organic flowersSometimes a girl just wants a vase of fresh flowers to cheer up her home. There is nothing quite so lovely as beautiful colours and a heavenly scent for the feel-good factor in life.

Unfortunately, cut flowers, unless home grown, often means thousands of air miles, tonnes of pesticides and dangerous working conditions for farmers across the globe.

I stopped buying myself flowers when I realised the negative health and environmental impacts my once-a-week luxury was costing other people and the planet.

Fortunately, I’ve found three companies in the UK that make buying flowers an ethical pleasure.Narcissi from Churchtown flowers

all year round thanks to their climate. This means no heated greenhouses burning upChurchtown farm http://www.scillyflowers.co.uk/ is a small family farm based 28 miles West of Land’s End, in the Isles of Scilly. They are able to grow scented flowers outdoors, precious resources.

During the winter they grow scented Narcissi and in the summer they grow Show Pinks.

Wiggly wigglers http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk have a flowers scheme just like a vegetable box. You don’t know what you are going to get, ‘Wiggly’ bouquet from Wiggly Wigglersbecause it all depends on what is in season! It might be anything from sunflowers to tulips to lilies.

Buying from Wiggly Wigglers gives you the opportunity to purchase a hand-crafted, unique creation with low transportation. They estimate a bouquet bought from them travels one tenth of the distance a high street bouquet would.

The organic flower company http://www.tofc.co.uk/ is one of the few organically certified florists in the UK.

Certified by the Soil Association, the company was set up to cater for a growing demand for naturally grown, fresh, seasonal flowers; as opposed to force-farmed and sprayedBeautiful ‘parma violets’ from The Organic Flower Company flowers grown in artificial environments.

They offer a stunning, simple ‘wrap’ of 50 tulips and the most beautiful lilac roses and elegant calla lilies which makes for a breathtaking arrangement.

So now you can treat yourself or a loved one to ethical and sustainable flowers with a conscience.

1 Comment

  1. TransFair USA on August 19, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    Another Sustainable option is Fair Trade Certified Flowers – The Fair Trade Certified label on bouquets means that flower workers, most of whom are women, can put food on their tables, send their children to school, invest in community development, and use sustainable farming methods. You can find them at 1-800 flowers, sam’s club online, whole foods and a number of regionally based stores. More information about where to buy is on the website http://www.fairtradecertifiedflowers.org