Kitchen Garden Forum

I know the issue of imported cut flowers is not a new one - but there do seem to be more and more of them around. More people now associate cheap clothes and trainers with exploitation, but probably don't think their flowers are grown at the expense of even worse exploitation of people and resources.
This link is a timely reminder

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=219072007

Alan

Maybe one could ask for a bunch of British grown flowers at the florists.
I think we all should try and grow a few rows of flowers for cutting, they can give a lot of pleasure when you take a bucnh to somebody, who you know that doesn't get any flowers.
Or better still grow a few pot plants for giving away, they last longer then a week as well.

i gave people potted lilies last year that i grew
after the debacle of my flowers on v day dh has been well and truly told
there was an article on this last week in the mail

I've not told Tim yet but when when get married I'm going to pick some flowers from the allotment/garden to use as a bouquet.

Dear Chantal, what a lovely idea, the memory of that will live with you for a lifetime.

Lovely idea Chantal. Hope you have good security on your allotment. Many years ago when my sister-in-law was getting married, my father-in-law made a special effort to grow masses of sweet peas on his allotment so that every table at the wedding reception would have a scented flower arrrangement. When they went down to the allotment on the morning before the wedding to pick them, some b***ard had stripped the plants of every single bloom.

No security at all Primrose but also no vandalism and the only theft has been leeks. The Cosmos last year were amazing so I'm hoping for some of them.

Chantal, when one of my daughters got married in late March a few years ago, we asked the florist to make the bride's bouquet out of locally grown primroses and sweet violets etc, but they couldn't provide that, only imported roses, freesias and flowers like that. So we made her one ourselves, in spite of the fact that none of us is artistic. But it looked very pretty and authentic!

There's a programme on the TV, each week about the Scilly Isles, a couple of weeks ago one resident/farmer said she had to give up growing Daffodils, for the main land, people wouldn't pay the price of local grown ones as they could get foreign grown ones cheaper.
Bren

Chantal wrote:I've not told Tim yet but when when get married I'm going to pick some flowers from the allotment/garden to use as a bouquet.

Chantal, how lovely, hope he likes Ranunculus and Convolvulus.

I could use dandelions and he'd be none the wiser. Horticulturally challenged.

ornamental cabbages might be nice
cornwall still grows loads of daffs, dh often brings me some

Daffs? They're like bindweed round my way...

There's a site sending flowers by post from the Scilly isles. You can send narcissi or pinks depending on the season; they arrive in tip top condition on the day you state and the prices are £8.50 to about £15. They tell you exactly how many stems they send - no frills - just gorgeous flowers.

http://www.scillyflowers.co.uk/


I always use them in preference to Interflora etc which I find a little OTT for some flower sending occasions.

Thanks Jane for that useful site. I'm learning a lot more about the struggle the inhabitants of the Scilly Isles are having to make a living through watching the TV programme "An Island Parish", so I'll try and support them next time I want to make a floral delivery, especially if others have recommended them.