One thing the last few months has taught me is that what we perceive as essential really isn't. As the world slowed down, many of us went back to finding joy in the simple pleasures. The everyday flow of nature became a constant friend, the planting of a seed, nurturing of a houseplant and the joy of a new flower as the seasons progressed gave hope and a sense of passing time that life goes on. People found joy in the gift of giving and flowers became again an important part of that. I'm not new to growing blooms but I am new to arranging them for gifts for other people. Many things have changed in the floral industry in recent years. From people becoming more sustainably aware, actively taking steps to reduce their consumption and environmental impact, to the decision to leave the European Union and more so the events of the last twelve months.
As the impact of these changes take effect, there are many tough decisions local businesses have to make and the community florist is no different. From April, the cost to import flowers will increase by up to 10%. I'm in a lucky position as I source many of my flowers from British growers (I'll list a few of these below for reference), but there are times, especially in the colder months, when I source flowers from the epicentre of the floral industry which is the Netherlands. Import taxes, increased paperwork and higher transport costs all contribute, meaning that you'll see a price increase and I am no different. On the 1st of April, my starting price point will increase from £30 to £35. The larger retail outlets that supply daily flowers will be able to absorb most, if not all, of this cost, but there's still many reasons to use your local florist, some of which I have penned in a post here. I'm also conscious as a studio florist that I am stepping into the realms of the local flower shop, so where my overheads are lower from a daily operational standpoint, there's also an ethical reason to ensure that my price point is in keeping with the industry standard and in turn also supporting my fellow florists.
I hope the article goes a way in explaining the changes you will see over the coming months and I hope you'll continue to support your local florist.
British Growers