How much would you pay for these flowers?

[Guest]

VC I said the exact same thing earlier and made my hubby give me prices of what he would pay for the arrangements around the house as he is a none gardener, who would pay and has a missus to keep happy . This thread and everyones input has been genuinely really helpful regardless of all that. So between the high end, highly polished lets spout organic, organic, organic scarily high priced stuff on sites and then us lot that would rather grow our own, barter, beg and borrow it gives me some middle ground to aim for that hopefully come the end of the year I can be confident with. Even this early on I really did under estimate just how much focus is still put on blooms alone.

It has been really good. I know I have a long way to go but now there is a little less stabbing

Edit: I have 'a lot' of yellow queen and unknown blue aquilegia seedlings for next year

[Scarlet]

Blimey, are there really many people willing to pay that much for flowers! Seems terribly extravagant but then again I don't buy flowers as much prefer them in their natural setting

Depends who you are buying them for and why...they came with a card "to the best girl in the world" - that's me

[rary]

Depends who you are buying them for and why...they came with a card "to the best girl in the world" - that's me

I wonder if you got the ones I was going to buy for my wife, you did get the card

[WPG]

Just a couple of other thoughts NG. If you haven't already grown these, ox-eye daisies are brilliant for bulking out cut flower arrangements, they complement any other colours, are prolific and hassle-free to grow, and the blooms stay fresh for ages in water.
My other thought was whether there's a niche for grown-to-order flowers in the wedding market - it always sounds like quite a lucrative part of floristry. Or I guess grown-to-order for other special events too, like bespoke anniversary bouquets.

[Greenleaves]

I would have guessed £35, i would consider that reasonable from a florist

[Guest]

This year I think I am growing just about everything either to learn how they germinate, grow, behave in a vase or to get them going for next year. Then you have the whole colour palette issue but until I actually sell I don't think I can gauge what will work before hand. I don't think studying fashion trends will work where I am
There are a couple of farmers markets for me to check out which are a bit out of the way but needs must. I still have all my footwork research to do speaking to a few florists, a couple of farmshops and nurseries. I have thought about approaching a couple of café and pub/restaurants about table top displays. I see next year as spreading myself about to see what works. I would like to offer something online but again I need to do some sample deliveries. I think the wedding sector is a fair few years away, at best I would just offer buckets of blooms for diy brides after next year when I have a bit more confidence in it all, especially as it is likely to be a different colour range for brides.

Anyway enough of my waffling. Can you tell I worry and over think things

But yes please feel free to throw any thoughts or ideas at me, it is all really helpful - thank you

[WPG]

One plant I've only just discovered to avoid in a vase is sweet rocket...looks and smells lovely in the garden, but a few days ago I picked some for the house and now my living room smells like cat spray! I know feverfew has a similar issue, it's like stinky socks when in a vase. A pity because they're both very attractive flowers in the garden.

Your plans sound really exciting NG, and I think you're doing exactly the right thing to test out different flowers and potential markets. I'm quite a regular at my local florist, as I like to buy a couple of lily stems for the scent. But in truth, they don't have a great range of flowers, I find their bouquets all quite generic. So I think offering varied and locally grown flowers should appeal to quite a few markets.

[Guest]

WPG do you add anything to your vase water?

I know wall flowers can go cabbagegy but it is helped with a smidge of bleach in the water. Apparently it is meant to be the same on alliums, but searing allium stems is also meant to help. Yes I have lots of tips to test as yet. The alliums I have picked so far don't seem to smell so waiting for the veg patch ones to flower.

[Snadger]

My SIL went to a local horticultural college and did a flower arranging course. They then bought/rented a small shop on the high street and set up as a florist. There mainstay was weddings and funerals as far as I know.
I know my BIL had to buy a small van and be at the flower market in the town very early in the morning to get the fresh flowers.
If your mainstay of flowers are seasonal and on your doorstep this would be a big advantage. I imagine you would need a polytunnel to extend the season and even then, at certain times of the year you would still need to buy flowers?

I'm adraid my flower buying activity is restricted to the local petrol station under a fiver jobbies when I have forgotton someones burfday!

[WPG]

Hi NG

I tend to sear all my stems for about 15-20 seconds in boiling water, even though some of them probably don't need it. Since watching Sarah Raven's flower-arranging videos a few years ago I've tended to use a lot of euphorbia oblongata as foliage (it lasts for weeks and weeks in water). That always gets seared as I seem to have a bad reaction to the sap.

I sometimes add a dash of bleach (not actually sure why, I always assumed it was to keep the inside of the vase clean but maybe it benefits the plants too) and if I remember I also add a spoon of sugar to the water.

Like you I've never had an issue with alliums in water - I've got chive flowers in a vase at the moment and there's no smell from them at all.

[Scarlet]

I did a few years floristry course at horticultural college near me, my bible was a book 'flowers from Holland" I'm not sure where I picked it up but it's worth its weight in gold. 9 small pics of plants per page. The wedding flowers magazine is worth picking up for a couple of months, the bouquets and arrangements have the flower names listed - may give you a few plants you've not thought of.

[Nannysally99]

You can tell that I buy mine in Lids.

[veggiechicken]

I'm even cheaper than you Sally - yellow stickers - usually 19 or 29p in Morries

[rary]

I spend about £8.00 buying flowers for my wife I have to as she wants the receipt to make sure I spend the money she give me to buy them

[veggiechicken]

Have you seen this, NG?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...iotic-shoppers