From the ground up.
It all begins with a seed.
I am no grower, I am also no journalist.
What follows is some input I have had from several growers some near, some far and this is my understanding of the process. Talking a friend through my wedding ordering (how we sit tight with fingers crossed) this was her understanding and couldn't have been more spot on.
"Yeah, you can buy a damaged Tomato and it stills tastes like a Tomato, but no one is going to buy a damaged flower".
It all begins with a seed.
Searching for the perfect seed, sourced, planted in soil blocks or punnet trays, then planting the nursed seedlings into the prepared ground which had been done months prior, watered, regularly fed and carefully minded and then on repeat each day until harvesting.
With growing it is hugely trial and error, our unruly weather plays a huge part in what will happened the tiny seedlings once out of the safety on the greenhouse, the process of planting needs to be thought out carefully and timed perfectly and then mapped out where to plant to shelter from the elements, this maybe in a tunnel house or out in the fields with nothing but positive vibes for a perfect season. And finally the harvesting after all the sweat, dirt under the fingernails and patience the process of gathering the blooms at their peak optimum to sell to the market, then on to us the florist.
''Its very hard to put a price on a flower stem as there is so much time behind it, the risk involved and you can only sell it for what some one is willing to pay". - Georgia.
As a florist I appreciate the care and freshness that comes direct from the grower themselves. I do not hesitate when I know that the extra care has been taken, I have visited farms myself been guided through the process, seen the excitement, the passion and the love. I have an old friend who used to be in the floral export trade who remains and avid gardener and taught me hugely on flowers, taking cuttings, propagating and the planting process in her green houses.
I take my hat off to them the time and love they pour into blooms to provide to us florist's with the freshest produce is admirable, rain, hail or shine they are out there minding the crop and then when its all harvested the preparation of the ground for the next crop begins (which can be between 3- 6 months) and trust me its not all the glamorous as it sometimes may appear on Instagram.
A grower brought to my attention the we need to re-evaluate the true cost of things and have places like Kmart and The Warehouse set an unrealistic standard on what that things should cost? Are they too far removed from the process?
One word I can not stand and will not use within my flower world is "cheap". I am a fan affordable quality, yes. But for somethings in life like flowers which are a luxury the word "cheap' shouldn't come into play, as a florist I love to know the care and quality that has been taken before the flowers reach me so I will not settle for the cheaper alternative and always pay more for quality.
Flowers aren't something purchased each day unless your Beyonce.
In the flower industry it's a huge gamble, we can't promise you Peonies will still be here at the end of December or that Proteas will be out come the end of February. It comes down to the season and how its shaping up for the growers, who believe me are trying their best to produce what they can for us florists because at the end of the day its firstly their passion and secondly their business which puts food on the table.
Sofie x
Images taken while a visit to Emerden Flowers
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