Today Verity and Saffy from The Bath Flower School are sharing their top tips for sustainable floristry. As a flower school that prioritizes sustainability, The Bath Flower School offers solutions and tools for florists to practice their craft in a way that is kind to the earth. Here are their top tips for practicing sustainable floristry!

Choose flowers and foliage that are in season, have been grown locally or that you have foraged (with permission) to ensure you are creating something that has had the least travel involved in it. Use flowers that are at their peak and at their best and choose according to this rather than creating a design in your head and then seeking out the flowers. Always be season and flower led and let this dictate your design. 

It’s all about the vessels! When you choose not to use flower foam, the vessels you choose to hold water are an integral part of your design. “No water no life!” You need to have vessels big enough to hold an amount of water that will keep your stems hydrated for the length of time that they need to look good. The vessel is part of your design. If you are making something to sit on a table think about the scale, shape, colour and relevance of the container that is holding the water and the flowers.  The bowl, vase or trough you use is integral to the finished look  and needs to tie in with your overall design. 

Think about the longevity and purpose of your design. Can it be moved at an event to be re purposed to maximise its impact and to minimise the customers spend and waste. Can your designs be gifted after the event or recycled to a charity or worthy cause. Make designs that contain no single use plastics and only materials that will biodegrade easily or can be used again and again. 

Create a sustainable installation with The Bath Flower School this October at our floral career retreat in Lisbon, Creating a Circular Floral Design Business. Learn more and book your spot here!