As an organic gardener it’s a no brainer that I want to reduce my waste in my new floral business and in some areas this is easy.
All of my floral waste at the little flower business can go straight into my compost bin and if shop florists have access to council recycling bins then they need not feel guilty either.
Also I try and incorporate living plants into my designs and to that end I need to use products that will support plant growth and that means organic materials.
Floral foam is a big polluter but it’s also the most usable, versatile and cheapest product ever invented to save florists time and money.
An alternative is being made in wool but the cost is prohibitive and its hard to pass that cost onto customers.
Some of the ways that I avoid the use of floral foam is by using glass containers especially upcycled/recycled ones like wine bottles, and jars.
The use of armature is a good way to hold flowers and stems in place but I question the use of chicken wire or wire mesh unless of course it can be recycled. A lot of it probably ends up in the bin when an arrangement is finished.
Another alternative is twigs, vines, sticks and twine to tie things together and hold things in place.
You just can’t guarantee what will happen to any of your design once it leaves your hands but what about encouraging your local customers to return the props for up cycling.
Thats a win win for everyone.
