St Martin's to St Paul's - in 1 million flower boxes
Downloads
From St Martin’s to St Paul’s in London – that’s the distance that a million boxes of Scent from the Islands flowers represents and, as the Scilly Isles-based company prepares to take its millionth order, 291 miles of flowers is certainly quite a milestone.
St Martin’s is a tiny island, 30 miles off the UK mainland, with just 100 residents. It’s hard to imagine a less likely place from which to run a hugely successful business employing up to 30 people during peak periods but, thanks to visionary strategy, hard work, Royal Mail and the power of the internet, family-run Scent from the Islands has grown to become the largest provider of flowers in the South West.
Andrew and Hilary Julian first started their postal flower delivery service in 1992 after fulfilling a lifelong dream of moving to the island from London six years earlier. They had bought 27-acre Churchtown Farm and originally intended running it purely as a flower farm selling to the wholesale market but a series of harsh winters and difficult economic conditions led to a change of heart.
Scent from the Islands was born and - a million boxes of flowers and 19 years later - the business, now run by Andrew and Hilary’s son Ben and his wife Zoe, continues to go from strength to strength. Approximately 90,000 boxes of beautiful scented blooms are posted out each year and, regardless of the current financial squeeze, sales go on increasing.
“We’re very fortunate to have seen a rise in demand and are delighted to be about to notch up our millionth box this Christmas – our busiest time of year,” said senior partner Ben Julian. “A million boxes is a fantastic achievement for our business but it’s also wonderful news for our staff who work so hard to make Scent from the Islands a real success story. We couldn’t do it without them.”
The Julians specialise in two types of flower – the beautiful scented narcissi for which the Scilly Islands are famed from October to April and lovely scented show pinks from May to September. Around 20,000 boxes of narcissi are despatched to all parts of the UK in the weeks leading up to Christmas alone – adding a welcome touch of spring to the annual festivities.
“It seems only right and fitting that we’ll be packing our millionth box in the run-up to the big day,” said Zoe Julian. “Andrew and Hilary came from London and their business has now achieved enough boxes to cover the distance that changed their lives. It’s the perfect Christmas gift.”
For more information, visit www.scillyflowers.co.uk or call 01720 422 169.
Ends 6 December 2011
Photo: Zoe and Ben Julian framed by some of the million boxes that Scent from the Islands has posted nationwide
Media enquiries: Sue Bradbury PR Tel: 01872 863863 E: sue@suebradburypr.com
