When people hear that we only use seasonal flowers, the first question is usually: does that mean I cannot get roses? The answer is that roses do have a season, it is just not twelve months long. The second question is usually: what is actually in season right now? That is the more interesting question, and the answer changes every few weeks.
What seasonal actually means ¶
A flower is in season when it is growing in the ground somewhere close enough that it can be cut and in a vase within a day or two. For us, that means the UK and, in winter, parts of northern Europe. It does not mean flowers flown in from Kenya or Colombia, which is where most supermarket roses come from. Those flowers are grown in controlled conditions year-round, which is why they are available in January but also why they often have very little fragrance.
Why seasonal flowers last longer ¶
A flower that has been on a plane for two days before it reaches a wholesaler has already used a significant portion of its vase life. A dahlia cut from Hartwell Cutting Garden on Thursday morning and in your home by Friday afternoon has not. The difference in longevity is real and consistent. We see it every week when we compare stems from our farm suppliers against stems bought at the wholesale market.
What changes week to week ¶
In early summer it is sweet peas, lisianthus, and the first dahlias. By late July the dahlias are at their fullest and the sweet peas are starting to fade. August brings zinnias, cosmos, and the first of the late-season sunflowers. September is when things get interesting: the dahlias are still going, the first dried work starts, and there are often surprising things in the hedgerows. We post the week's available stems every Wednesday evening in the journal.
What this means for ordering ¶
It means we cannot guarantee a specific flower for a specific date more than a week or two in advance. What we can guarantee is that whatever is in your arrangement is at its best that week. For events, we ask for enough lead time to plan around what is likely to be available, and we are honest when something we hoped for does not come in. We would rather tell you early than substitute quietly.
Seasonal sourcing is not a marketing position. It is just the way flowers work when you pay attention to them. The selection is smaller than a florist who imports year-round, but what is there is genuinely good.