Sustainable
flowers
What we mean by sustainable flowers
We're very fortunate to live and farm in the Isles of Scilly National Landscape. We endeavour to farm in a way that is not only environmentally sustainable but also economically and socially sustainable. We do this not only to care for our island and community but we also try to consider the wider impact of the choices we make.
A very thoughtful gift
In all honesty the most sustainable choice is not to send a gift but life is for living, and nurturing our relationships is important. If you want to send a thoughtful present we don't think there are many more sustainable options than sending British flowers, direct from where they are grown without any additional heat or light, in packaging designed to minimise plastic waste.
It's all about balance
There is a balance to achieving sustainability and we're not perfect. There are times when we have to make compromises. For example, when there are not enough Scilly grown flowers available, we then import flowers. When we do this we'll always make it clear in the description of the flowers.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
We try to farm in a way that protects not only the Isles of Scilly National Landscape but also the wider environment.
FARMING WITH NATURE IN MIND
We try to farm in a way that's environmentally sensitive and friendly to nature. We constantly question the choices we make, spend time to evaluate new farming methods and participate in relevant agri-environment schemes. We work closely with other land managers on the Isles of Scilly, such as other farmers, The Duchy of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust to ensure that practical knowledge, information, specialist machinery and even a bull are shared.
Scented narcissi grown outdoors through the winter with no additional heat or light
LOOKING AFTER OUR SOIL
To say a successful farm needs to take care of its soil, is stating the obvious. Production methods, for a myriad of reasons, have tended to prioritise immediate yield over long term soil health. The tide is slowly turning. The most forward looking farms are starting to scientifically explore methods of farming that had previously been overlooked, due to not having been vigorously tested. We're very interested in these discussions and are watching the emerging scientific evidence with interest.
SOLAR POWERED FLOWERS
In 2021 we invested in a large array of solar panels. They sit on our south facing tractor shed roof and provide 50% of the farm's total electricity needs. To keep your flowers fresh we run a large cold store. Of course the warmer the weather the harder the cold store has to work and the more solar energy we produce, which is a pretty good match.
HOW WE MANAGE WATER
We are of course surrounded by the stuff but on an island, fresh water is a precious resource. We capture and store a lot of the water we use across the farm. Our winter crop rarely needs irrigating and in the summer our pinks are irrigated by a computerised system that trickles just the right amount of water and fertiliser into the coir tubs. The very nature of the tubs also minimises the amount of irrigation needed.
LESS FLOWER MILES
The flowers we grow are sent by boat to Penzance or via a short 15 minute plane journey to Land's End with the rest of the islands' first class post. Because the flowers are delivered direct from where they are grown, compared to flowers that are imported from elsewhere their 'flower miles' and associated carbon footprint is very low.
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
We run our farm so that the tradition of flower growing on the Isles of Scilly remains viable.
ADDING TO OUR ISLANDS' ECCONOMY
History shows how vulnerable our islands are to even slight shifts in economic fortune. Flower growing has been a reasonably stable cornerstone of the economy for well over 100 years, a farming tradition that we strive to continue by investment and innovation. We are a family run partnership and all our team live and work on St Martin's so a great deal of our profits are spent locally.
We financially plan to be a resilient business that can afford to make the right choices
STABLE PRICE FOR TOP FLOWERS
We can't grow all the flowers we need on our farm so we work with other Scillonian flower farmers. At the start of the scented narcissi season we negotiate a guaranteed price for the highest quality flowers. This reduces the risk to those growers as they are not selling as many flowers through the wholesale markets where the price can fluctuate dramatically.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
We aim to support our island community to thrive in various ways.
SUPPORTING OUR ISLAND COMMUNITY
Like nearly everyone in our small community we try to do our bit to make things work. As one of the larger businesses we have vehicles, storage space, cold storage and people so when there is a island event, such as the summer fete or other celebrations we are well placed to help out. Also because our office is open nearly every day we run the booking system for our island hall - flowers, steak or a game of ping-pong we can do them all!
GOOD QUALITY HOUSING
Affordable housing is in very short supply on the Isles of Scilly. We have invested in good quality, well maintained housing for people who come to work at the farm. This means they pay an affordable rent whilst experiencing island life and contributing to our community. Most people come to work at the farm for six months but many stay for longer, some even make St Martin's their long term home.