Sowing Change: How We’re Growing a Greener Future in Flowers

Next year kicks off a whole new chapter here at Halgarrack Farm - our very first season of cut flowers! We’ll have DIY florist buckets, pick-your-own stems, and seasonal bouquets, all grown with the land and wildlife in mind. It feels like such an exciting step into something more creative and regenerative. The deeper we’ve looked into the conventional flower industry, the more determined we’ve become to do things differently here. We're embarking on a mission to grow a greener future; beautiful flowers that wrap the planet in love.

Over 80% of cut flowers sold in the UK are imported, mainly from the Netherlands, Kenya, and Colombia (Flowers from the Farm, 2024). That’s millions of stems flown or trucked across continents every week, often kept in cold storage for days before reaching the shops. Yet unlike food or fashion, few people stop to consider the environmental impact of the flowers they buy. We’ve become used to year-round roses and perfect peonies, without questioning what it takes to make that possible.

When we think of flowers, we imagine nature, beauty, and celebration. But many of the blooms in a typical bouquet have been grown in monocultures using synthetic pesticides, irrigated in drought-prone regions, and transported thousands of miles in refrigerated holds. The irony of celebrating love and nature with chemically treated, air-freighted flowers is hard to ignore once you start looking more closely.

The Hidden Costs of the Perfect Bloom

In the global flower trade, perfection comes before ecology. Blooms are bred to survive transport and look flawless on arrival, but this comes with a heavy footprint. Imported cut flowers carry a significantly higher carbon cost than locally grown alternatives. Energy intensive greenhouses, cold-chain logistics, and air freight all add up - with Valentine’s Day imports alone responsible for thousands of tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. Recent UK research has cast a stark light on this unsustainability. Key findings from research led by the University of Surrey and Coventry University indicate that the carbon footprint of UK-produced flowers is significantly lower than those imported, with seasonal blooms offering a sustainable alternative that aligns with the UK government's net-zero targets.

The environmental impact doesn't begin with transportation; it starts in the fields where they're grown. Synthetic pesticides are routinely used in floriculture, often with little regulation because cut flowers are not categorised as food. Residues persist on stems, harm workers, and contribute to pollinator decline. This monocultural production further reduces biodiversity, turning once-rich landscapes into sterile growing zones.

Why does there need to be change?

The flower industry mirrors the broader crisis facing UK agriculture. A comprehensive global study by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the University of Sussex, analysing over 1,700 studies, found that pesticides are causing overwhelming negative effects on hundreds of species of microbes, fungi, plants, insects, fish, birds and mammals that they are not intended to harm. The UK's own Pesticides National Action Plan acknowledges that a review of 400 studies found pesticides had a negative effect on 70.5% of biodiversity measures for soil invertebrates, demonstrating that they are a contributing factor to the biodiversity decline we are seeing.

The most recent report by State of Nature found that 19% of UK species have been in decline since 1970 with no sign of the rate of loss slowing, with farmland species in particular trouble. Bird populations have more than halved since 1970 and nearly one in six species are now threatened with extinction. It's clear that there needs to be a change in how we are farming.

Rather than importing blooms that have travelled thousands of miles, we're committed to growing sustainable, organic flowers that actually improve the land they grow on. Following permaculture practices invites us to see our growing spaces as living systems where soil, plants, insects, and people all play a role. We'll be applying its principles to our flowers, where we can grow in abundance while regenerating and giving back to the land:

1. Working with nature, not against it.

By observing natural patterns and cycles, we can design growing systems that restore rather than deplete. Companion planting, polycultures, and native wildflowers all help support pollinators and balance pest pressures. The Permaculture Association recommends nectar-rich habitats as a practical way to attract wild bees, butterflies, and hoverflies.

2. Building soil fertility.

Healthy soil is the foundation of any regenerative system. No-dig methods, composting, and mulching protect soil structure, encourage fungi and microbes, and lock in carbon. Over time, fertility of the soil builds naturally.

3. Embracing seasonality.

Permaculture values diversity and rhythm - knowing that each season brings its own abundance. Rather than forcing off-season blooms through heated greenhouses, we can celebrate what grows naturally in our climate and design our planting around it.

4. Shortening supply chains.

Local, seasonal flowers can have as little as a tenth of the carbon footprint of imported stems (Sustainable Floristry Network, 2024). Selling directly to the community through PYO days, farm gate sales, and florist buckets keeps value close to home and builds connection between grower and buyer.

Choose Locally Grown, Sustainable Blooms

When you buy flowers from us, you're making a choice that ripples far beyond your vase. You're supporting regenerative agriculture that heals the land and choosing flowers grown without harmful chemicals, transported mere miles instead of thousands. You're investing in your local economy and helping to preserve Cornwall's agricultural heritage.

Our blooms haven't flown halfway around the world in refrigerated cargo holds. They haven't been doused in pesticides or grown in water-stressed regions facing drought. Instead, they've been grown with love in Cornish soil, nourished by the sea air, and tended by careful hands. Each stem tells a story of sustainability, of beauty that doesn't cost the earth, and of a different way of growing - one that our planet desperately needs more of.

By choosing locally grown, organic flowers, you’re helping to grow a future where farming gives back to the land and where every stem supports the wider web of life.

If you’d like some beautiful, seasonal flowers for your home, an event, or someone special, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a message to find out what’s blooming here at the farm.

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