‘English consumers are happy to pay for locally grown flowers’
You’re one of the few cut flower growers in the United Kingdom, aren’t you?
“That’s right. On average, only five percent of the flowers sold in the UK are grown in the UK. With an acreage of 1.6 hectares, I belong to the larger floriculturists in England, with respect to outdoor flowers anyway. In the Oxfordshire region I’m actually the only flower grower. I started here nine years ago because I wanted people to be able to buy flowers from their own country, from their own region again.”
What did you do before that?
“After I had completed my horticultural studies, I worked in garden and landscape design for many years. After that, I got a job at an organic nursery, where they grew flowers and vegetables. That’s where I learned about the cultivation of cut flowers, especially the English country-garden style varieties, like roses, delphiniums and dahlias. When the owner sold the company, I lost my job. I used the money I received to start Green and Gorgeous.”
What does your assortment look like?
“I grow hundreds of different varieties cut flowers and also some shrubs and perennials, wich I cut from. The crops are grown in garden soil, outdoors in fields and tunnels. My assortment is in keeping with my customers’ demand: for English consumers it’s very important that flowers are fragrant and look nostalgic. As a result, I grow totally different varieties from most Dutch growers. They mainly focus on long vase life, but my experience is that people don’t actually consider that to be such an important aspect.”
Are you selling to consumers only?
“That’s right. From March to the end of October, we are open to the public every Saturday. People can come and pick their own flowers, but I also make bouquets. I do flower arrangements for weddings too; I did no less than ninety weddings in the past year! And I offer courses for people who would like to start a business like mine and for flower lovers who would like to learn how to make beautiful arrangements.”
Are you managing to make a living?
“Absolutely. It’s going well. This is a wealthy region and people are happy to spend money on locally grown flowers. The only downside is that I have to earn everything during the summer. Expanding is not one of my ambitions, but I would like to improve the efficiency. For example by maintaining a more efficient crop planning and by reducing the distance between plants.
Your first book will be published in February 2017?
“Yes, my ‘Flower Book’ – original name, isn’t it? – will be in the shops by then. It’s a book for florists, showing how 64 seasonal flowers can be used in arrangements in a beautiful and natural way. I was asked by a publisher to write this book. Hopefully it’ll be a stepping stone to the realisation of my own idea: publishing a book about how you can make a living of small-scale flower cultivation.”
Is the upcoming Brexit affecting you?
“Not yet, really. I don’t have any foreign employees, that could be an advantage. I do hear that flowers from other European countries have become more expensive because of the devaluation of the pound. That might provide opportunities for me as a British grower. On the other hand, the items that I import from Europe are getting more expensive too. But luckily, there are relatively few of those.”
About Rachel Siegfried
Company: Green and Gorgeous
Location: Wallingford, United Kingdom
Sales: directly to consumers. In addition, Green and Gorgeous provides flower arrangements for weddings and they offer courses.
Assortment: hundreds of different varieties of cut flowers, shrubs, perennials and cutting shrubs.
Number of employees: twelve part-time, during the season
