Guide: How to Build a Sustainable Relationship with Flowers+ Tips on how to extend the life of the cut flowers
Illustration by Nikolai Jónasson
Every once in a while, I like to treat myself to a nice flower bouquet. No occasion is needed. Just me.
Instantly, as I bring them home and put them in a vase, I feel how my surroundings are transforming. The room brightens up with the colours. The air is filling up with freshness. The flowers have the power to support and alter your mood: depending on the season and/or how I feel, I can illuminate and capture this moment. Now that autumn is coming, I am turning to a darker and more intense colour palette with splashes of red, burgundy and orange. To bring the change to my sacred place – home.
Yes, flowers might feel like a luxury. It becomes luxurious also because of the flower industry’s dark traits: lack of transparency and sustainability, with massive production of plastic by-products, use of harmful chemicals and carbon emissions. We’ve touched on this subject in one of our previous articles in collaboration with FloweRescue, “Empowering Properties of Flower Waste”.
Still, I like to bring flowers home. It is a grounding experience for me, to see flowers from bloom to wither. Notice how they change through this short period of their presence in my life - in the way they look, smell and feel when you touch them.
The Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi teaches that you can find elusive beauty in “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” objects and things. Flowers can teach you the same. They will bring you tranquillity, peace, and joy, and in return – you should build a sustainable relationship with them.
To simply put it, a sustainable relationship with flowers means minimising your impact on the environment when you decide to give yourself or a loved one a gorgeous bouquet. Treat flowers with care and respect, as they brighten up your day.
To create this flower sustainability guide, I consulted Kati Mayfield, a co-founder of FloweRescue and a trusted and cherished collaborator of Caddyboo. Together, we’ve compiled a list of tips that will help you to build a sustainable relationship with flowers. Without further ado –
Thoughtful consumption
“When it comes to consumers, it all comes down to reducing consumption and being thoughtful about what we buy.”- Says Kati.
Splurging once in a while for a nice bouquet feels good but consider what you are buying and what are the consequences of your choice. Ask the florist the source of the flowers and the supply chain - did they travel from afar or were grown locally? If the staff can’t answer you, it’s okay – they will be asking these questions from the manager or the owner later on. In grocery stores, you can check that information from the labels.
2. What comes with your purchase?
When you buy flowers consider what comes with them. Are they wrapped in a bunch of plastic? Are there any accessories coming with them and which materials they are made from? Do you need that balloon and a ribbon?
The flower industry creates a lot of single-use packaging waste – about 75% of flowers come with additional plastic wrapping. To solve that problem, you can bring your own bag or old newspapers, or just ask the florist to back the bouquet into the craft paper.
3. Preorder
If you know beforehand, that you’ll buy flowers, consider preordering them. Yes, I know, that it’s nice to walk into the flower shop and create a bouquet using your vision and imagination. Though, actually, you can do that online too.
If you preorder, the florists will know exactly what they sell. That way, they can also form their orders from the wholesalers. In the ideal world, if the process of buying flowers would go that way, it would significantly reduce flower waste. Still, every small step counts. The more you will incorporate this habit into your life and the lives of others – by spreading the word and showing the example – the less flower waste will be created. Even if it’s just a small amount at the beginning.
4. Buy seasonal
Pay attention to the seasons and what’s growing locally at the time. A quick cheat sheet:
- Winter: Poinsettias, Snowdrops, Hellebores, Iris, Clematis, Cyclamen, Amaryllis, Jasmin, Cymbidium.
- Spring: Cherry blossoms, Dahlia, Freesia, Daisies, Gardenia, Narcissus, Tulip, Lily, Eucalyptus, Lisianthus, Hyacinths.
- Summer: Peonies, Roses, Delphinium, Phlox, Hydrangea, Lavender, Poppies, Lilac, Sunflower, Tagetes, Zinnias, Foxgloves.
- Autumn: Alstroemeria, Gladiolus, Carnations, Iris, Chrysanthemum, Gerbera.
Depending on your location this list may vary, so I encourage you to ask a florist what flowers are in season and which ones were grown locally. If your favourite flowers are not in season, consider giving another gift whether it’s to yourself or others.
5. Extend the life of the flower
There are many tips on how to extend the life of cut flowers. The general rules that apply to all sorts of flowers are – to cut the flowers at an angle before putting them in a vase, remove all the extra foliage from the stems and change the water daily. Get a free downloadable PDF with extra tips at the end of the article – created for you by Caddyboo and FloweRescue.
6. A rescue flower, anyone?
Research if any nearby florist shops have rescue flower bouquets available. This practice is only at the beginning of its time, so don’t get discouraged if there’s nothing similar… yet.
You can be an agent of change – just talk to the florists about sustainability and ask them how they are handling it (especially if you have established a connection with them already). Maybe give them an idea of selling pre-made bouquets or flowers that are not premium quality anymore at a reduced price – it is better than throwing them into a trash bin.
And this is how we change reality: simple actions and small steps to plant the seed.
7. Reuse and compost
If you have flowers left from the event, let’s say a wedding or a celebration, don’t let them go straight to waste. FloweRescue offers a service to break down and recycle flowers after the events. As the practice shows, many of those flowers will still be in a condition to become a rescue bouquet and serve other purposes. This approach takes your event’s sustainability to the next level.
Reusing cut flowers at home has many options too, especially if you are a crafty person. Just google “reuse of the cut flowers at home” or something similar and you’ll be amazed how many things you can create!
And at the end of the flowers’ life, compost them. A non-negotiable rule in this sustainable relationship.
The advice that we give you asks only for a thoughtful approach. You don’t have to implement all the steps straight away – we understand that it is a slow process, and that’s okay. (But reducing plastic and starting composting are the crucial ones).
As promised, here’s a downloadable PDF for you with 10 tips on how to extend the life of the cut flowers – brought to you by Caddyboo and FloweRescue.
