With Valentine’s Day next week providing the ideal excuse to treat yourself or your loved ones to a beautiful floral display, I want to explore some more sustainable, ethical and seasonal alternatives to the traditional dozen red roses.
At this time of year, roses come to the UK from abroad - predominantly Kenya and The Netherlands. The carbon footprint involved with intensively growing roses under artificial conditions and flying them to their destination is staggering, with a mixed bunch of Dutch and Kenyan roses clocking in with a huge 30 kg during February. Yikes!
For those of us keen to branch out from this detrimental practice, there is another way! Many businesses, individuals and groups are championing a more seasonal, ‘slow flower moment’ approach to flowers. Check out the SSAW Collective, who are a community of chefs, growers and florists whose aim is to empower people to make conscious choices about the food and flower products they buy. Or Flowers from the Farm, a membership association which champions UK flower farmers and has an extensive directory of small scale growers and florists near you. A seasonal selection in February could include Chiomanthus (wintersweet), early tulips and narcissi and vivid blue Iris reticulata mixed in with dried flowers and grasses.
If you love the idea of getting hands on (what do they say again about homemade being the best!), a foray out into the garden at this time of year can yield delicate crocus and cyclamen, drifts of snowdrops and pale primroses and blossom such as scented witchhazel and winter flowering cherry. I make sure the gardens I design have plenty of winter interest in the form of scent and flowers to bring you through till springtime. The countryside is filled with cheek-soft willow, hazel catkins and evergreen foliage to accompany your blooms. You can also get your hands on spring bulbs like hyacinths or paperwhite narcissi, and dress them up in a pretty pot with a bit of moss or even create a springtime living wreath - unbelievable scent and a gift that can then be planted in the garden for repeating joy year on year.
Whilst early spring doesn’t perhaps have the bounty of later on in the year, its offerings are all the more special for their delicate and rare beauty.
So, treat your partner, friends or yourself - let’s be honest, we all deserve a little February floral pick me up!
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