Cut flowers: where do they come from?

Cut flowers: where do they come from?
March 2024 (updated October 2024)

All the cut flowers we sell at Organic Blooms are grown here on our Gloucestershire farm close to Bristol and Bath. We grow in a very low input way – no synthetic chemicals, minimal plastic and no additional heating or lighting. However the vast majority of cut flowers sold in the UK are grown overseas, often using a LOT of chemical inputs and valuable local resources.

The main British crops at this time of year are narcissi and some other spring flowers from the Scillies & Cornwall and indoor-grown tulips. The season moves northwards as spring progresses.

The overwhelming majority of cut flowers available in UK supermarkets, online flower services & florist shops are imported, many via auctions in the Netherlands. Most of them are grown in Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia and Ecuador as well as the immense Dutch glasshouses. A very few of these are certified organic and therefore free of synthetic chemicals, however like their non-organic counterparts they still need to be transported around the globe in energy-hungry refrigerated transport. Most flowers are air-freighted. Some are transported by sea in journeys of up to 30 days, for which the flowers have to be made dormant in climate & gas controlled containers, casting a new light on the term ‘fresh flowers’! Non-certified organic flowers are also treated with preservatives to help keep them in saleable condition during their travels.

When buying imported flowers that are not certified organic, it is worth considering that chemicals banned as dangerous in the UK & EU are often still used in flower production in other countries. The Sustainable Floristry Network quotes a report showing that of 201 chemicals used in cut flower production, 93 were banned in the EU. There are no import regulations or checks associated with these. Such chemicals are largely contained in pesticides but sometimes also in fertilisers, fungicides, herbicides and preservatives, and often applied as sprays meaning that residues on the flowers are transported into our homes. Chemical sprays impact on the health of flower farm workers who are exposed to them and florists who come into contact with the residues – many of the toxins used are absorbed through the skin.

Keep an eye out for British grown flowers when you feel like a floral treat. Better still, choose locally grown blooms – visit Flowers From The Farm to find your local grower-florist. For those of you looking for a Bristol florist, Bath florist or Gloucestershire florist, our own flower season at Organic Blooms will soon be in full swing and we will once again be offering certified organic click and collect bouquets & buckets that are chemical free and that have a positive impact on people and our environment. Outside of the main British flower season we offer gorgeous planters filled with violas and winter & spring bulbs, and for Christmas wreaths and long lasting displays we use dried flowers (grown in our fields and hung from the rafters of our workshop to dry). Keep an eye on our shop for details.