Want to support British flowers this winter? Laurenne Hopkins of Happy Roots Farm offers some suggestions for how best to go about it.

Laurenne at work during one of her festive wreath workshops.

Winter can be a challenging time for flower farmers. The shorter days and colder temperatures mean not much is growing, while the costs of the upcoming season start to stack up as we buy in seeds, tubers, compost and other supplies, and tackle important infrastructure projects.

Whilst we are always looking for ways to diversify, extend our season and provide ourselves with income through the winter, there are a number of simple ways our customers and community can get behind us in the quieter months, and help to keep us afloat.

Here are a few suggestions for how you might be able to support your local flower farm over the next few months:

• Buy bouquets and arrangements: One of the easiest ways to lend your support to your local growers is to continue buying bouquets and arrangements made with their flowers, foliage and dried flowers when they are offered. Many farmer-florists will buy in from specialist out-of-season British suppliers, either weekly or for special events like Valentine’s & Mothers’ Day. Plenty also sell their own dried flowers and/or the creations they make with them.
• Purchase gift certificates: Another great way to support your local flower farm is to purchase gift certificates that can be redeemed once the growing season starts back up. This can provide valuable income when it’s needed most.
• Attend workshops or events: Many flower farms offer winter workshops or events, such as wreath-making or flower arranging classes. Consider attending one of these to learn something new and support the farm at the same time.
• Follow, like, and share on social media: By following and sharing the updates and content from your local flower farm on social media, you can help spread the word about their business and bolster their marketing efforts.

Purchasing gift certificates and vouchers is a great way to give a boost to British growers and florists at their quietest time of year.

• Engage and chat: The regular promotion needed to keep small businesses in customers’ minds can feel like shouting into a void sometimes, so lovely comments, conversations, and engaging with a flower farm’s content on social media is really helpful in keeping their morale high and helping their posts get seen through higher engagement rates.
• Leave a review: If you have purchased flowers from your local flower farm in the past, consider leaving a review on their website, Google or social media page. Positive reviews can help attract new customers and support the farm’s online presence.
• Buy a subscription: Some flower farms offer subscriptions, whereby customers receive a bouquet or arrangement of seasonal flowers on a regular basis throughout the growing season. Purchasing one of these helps the farm by providing an upfront source of income and allows customers to look forward to, then relax then enjoy, fresh flowers all season long.
• Buy an experience voucher: Lots of flower farms now offer experience vouchers, which you can purchase to visit the farm for a tour and/or a flowery activity in their season. Consider them as gifts for loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries or Christmas, or just as a treat for yourself.

I hope this gives you a few ideas for helping the cause of British flowers during the winter months, and ensuring that your local Flowers From The Farm members are around for many years to come.

We are always so very grateful for your support!

Find your local flower farmer.