How many of you buy fresh cut flowers?

GwylimT

We don't, we have a cat so unless we have a bunch made up its virtually impossible to get a bunch which don't contain a flower that is poisonous to cats.

Pop_Up_Pirate

Callie22 wrote: »

I only buy British-grown flowers as I agree, most cut flowers, especially those that are shipped in from Africa, are terrible from an ecological point-of-view. The amount of water that's used to grow them is horrifying. OH used to insist on buying me roses for Valentine's Day and whilst they were lovely, I couldn't really enjoy them knowing that they'd been grown in Kenya and shipped over here. I've trained him now and I got a bunch of Cornish daffs this year

UK flowers are doused with a toxic cocktail of fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides to keep disease and vermin at bay which impact on our Bees and other wildlife massively.
They use far too much water to grow, and artificial light, heat and cooling.
UK flower workers are likely to travel to work by car, bus, trains.
The flowers are transported on lorries run on diesel and use additional energy to keep them temperature controlled.
Then add in the eco cost of producing cellophane, then trying to get rid of it as its unrecyclable, flower food and plastic or elastic used to bunch them.

Importing flowers can actually reduce carbon footprint.
They are grown in sunny climates so no need to use energy for warm.
Naturally grown flowers need less chemicals
Workers are more likely to walk or ride a bike to work

In order to reduce the environmental impact, seek out organically grown local flowers or buy some seeds instead.

Upsidedown_Bear

TravellingAbuela wrote: »

Up to the festive season I always bought lilies (from Aldi) for the dining table. They would last between 2 and 3 weeks. But while shopping for treats in M & S in the run up to Xmas I was tempted by a Poinsettia for the table. It is still as beautiful as the day I bought it and I am hoping it lasts a good while longer yet as it's saving a small fortune on lilies! (Unseasonal it might be but it looks so cheery with its bright red leaves)

The last 2 Poinsettias we had (one of which was from the reduced shelf) lasted until September :T
I hope yours lasts as least as long

Rowan9

My Christmas one is still looking lovely too and I'm delighted to hear that it might keep going till September!
W

TravellingAbuela

Oh thanks for the Poinsettia update! I had no idea the colour could last so long. I shall carry on giving it lots of TLC and keep my fingers crossed!

Upsidedown_Bear

TravellingAbuela wrote: »

Oh thanks for the Poinsettia update! I had no idea the colour could last so long. I shall carry on giving it lots of TLC and keep my fingers crossed!

I was amazed too with the first one and wondered if it was just a fluke but the following year it happened as well. We haven't got one this year as we are moving soon and I wasn't sure whether it would survive a move.

They didn't die slowly as house plants usually seem to - the leaves all fell off in a couple of days.

I will be buying one this year

Caterina

Pop_Up_Pirate wrote: »

I don't buy any flowers as they are an environmental nightmare.

The carbon footprint on flowers is worse than meat.

Even the UK grown ones (which are the ones I try to get - avoiding the Kenya air freighted ones)? Daffodils?

Perhaps if this is the case I need to dedicate a space in my allotment for flower growing, instead of buying, and make do without in winter.

Re. Poinsettia, my mother manages to keep hers alive from year to year, no idea how she does it, every time i buy one they die within a day!

Also thinking maybe I should rely on plants rather than cut flowers if PUP's statement is correct, I really want to try and conduct an environmentally sustainable lifestyle (within my means and limitations).

EDITED: just read PUP's explanation on UK flowers above and I am now both horrified and saddened because I will never buy flowers again under these conditions, and I love them - as I type my house is full of bunches of flowers that I have bought for DH's birthday.

Next seed order will include a few packets of flower seeds.

VfM4meplse

Mixed flower seeds don't work for me, they just transform the patch into a weed garden

eandjsmum

Ys or daffs for me. Though hoping to grow some cut flowers this year.

katkin

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Mixed flower seeds don't work for me, they just transform the patch into a weed garden

What about sowing wild flowers in an area and leaving it to go "just wild" but bordering this with some lazy plants like nasturtiums etc?

My last garden had so much space that I got quite into letting some of it go "wild" albeit in a lazy managed manner. It made a lovely contrast to more formal planting and worked well against shrubs and trees. Very pretty.

My current garden is a bit more difficult and I can't do that but miss the look and beauty of the wild flowers when they blossomed. They were lovely to pick for a vase.