Fly the Flag - British Flower Week

Today is the start of British Flower Week, organised by New Covent Market. In its 4th year, it is a chance for all in the industry to proudly fly the flag for British Flowers and home grown produce.

This week I thought I would share with you a reason why I as a florist, try my hardest to use British flowers where possible in my work.

The idea behind the British flower movement is that we should celebrate our own produce, what is natural to our climate and revel in the glorious varieties of blooms that we can succesfully grow here in the British Isles.

I have a growing passion for British flowers and what they can bring to my work. I love to create wedding flowers full of intrigue and romance and to me British Flowers are the key to that. Using English grown roses such as 'Just Joey' and 'Margaret Merrill' can take a bouquet from the beautiful to the sublime.

I would love to have my own cutting patch full of every imaginable bloom from Rudbeckia to

Salvia, Larkspur through to Black Eyed Susan.

Sadly my growing success has been limited apart from my incredibly productive Dahlia Patch which blooms with varieties from July through to November. That is probably because I spend hours talking to them and protecting them from slug central.

Using British flowers enables us to capture a distinct 'moment in time' and illustrate the beauty of our countryside. Take the picture above, my favouite Crown Devon Vase full of Apple Blossom and Spirea all proudly British and screams early spring. It has not flown from Europe or overseas but just travelled feet to its home in the vase.

So this week I thought I would share with you daily pictures of work taken with just local produce, grown not flown. June is full of blooms from Foxgloves, Alliums, Garden Roses, Mock Orange and so much more.

Here is a few from the previous years gone by!