Say no to Valentine's Day roses, florist says

A florist is urging people not to buy red roses for Valentine's Day this year and buy locally grown flowers instead.

Elizabeth Honey, from the British Flower Movement in Nottingham, said red roses were not in season this time of year in the UK or "anywhere really in the southern or northern hemisphere".

"They're kind of the wicked stepmother of flowers... with the biggest carbon footprint. Instead, look to try and buy some beautiful British flowers," she said.

However, John Davidson, from the British Florist Association (BFA), said "at this time of year, British production alone cannot realistically supply the volume and variety required across the UK".

Honey said: "At the moment the British flower industry is dominated by imports.

"So we have an increase over the last few years, particularly since Covid of small artisan flower growers which is great but they can't replace the loss of all the big growers.

"What we want to do is encourage more people and the supermarkets because they have the biggest share... that's where most people buy their flowers.

"If you can encourage the supermarkets to sell more and a wider range of flowers then we can start bringing the British flower industry back.

"As well of course, you've got the environmental impact, with all flowers grown in the UK, there's no air miles."

Helen Chambers, a florist and flower wholesaler from Spalding, Lincolnshire, said people should still be able to have roses but from a "source that is credible".

Chambers sells about one million stems every year from a mix of different flowers, but said 85% of them were British grown and only 15% imports.

"There are a lot of growers improving their standards, so we can sometimes do the best of both," she said.

"In some seasons we can do 100% British grown and that's what I like to do mostly... to know that everything is coming from about 40 miles from where you're stood.

"We need to focus more on what we're doing in this country. If we just keep flying things around all the time we'll have a massive carbon footprint."

Davidson from the BFA, who is also chief financial officer of a major flower wholesaler, said many international flower growers were leading the way in environmental innovation.

"The British Florist Association supports UK growers and the continued growth of British flower production," he said.

"However at this time of year, British production alone cannot realistically supply the volume and variety required across the UK.

"It is important that conversations around sustainability are grounded in researched facts rather than assumptions. A blanket criticism of imported flowers risks oversimplifying a complex global supply chain.

"In some cases, flowers grown in warmer climates using natural light - or by Dutch growers using advanced sustainable technology - can be more energy efficient than growing in heated UK glasshouses during winter.

"Consumers deserve informed choice and the industry works best when local and global supply are viewed as complementary rather than in competition."

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