The concept of creating a business supplying solely artificial flowers was literally born from frustration. The complex challenge of creating fabulous fresh flower displays that look amazing for a whole week is one that we share with every other contract florist.
Fresh flowers struggle to cope with the perils of an unnatural environment: air conditioning, heating, cold, over/underlit positioning accelerate their natural decline.
This is the challenge for every contract florist required to “pop back” to replace a wilting bloom or an entire floral display.
During a hot summer week of 2016, I was required to fulfill a remit in a glasshouse, a massive amount of peonies were required to look fabulous for a 3 day event. This was going to be impossible, a friend suggested silk flowers. I scoffed and on reflection visited a luxury faux flower importer she recommended. A whole new world of stunning blooms revealed itself to me. Excited, I looked further into faux flowers supplier. Yes there were many nasties out there but the production of gorgeous “lifelike” flowers over several years had bloomed (pun intended).
The peony event was a success so I experimented with artificial flowers alongside the fresh flower contract business, the usual thrill of creating a fabulous floral display was further compounded by the fact that the faux display remained still stunning some weeks later, sitting in resplendent beauty alongside other floral displays in the studio that took the natural course of nature and turned to decay.
These faux displays were introduced to our existing clients. Many took them on as a permanent basis reporting back that their visitors had remarked on their vibrancy and elegance. Business grew (another pun) and tentatively I made the decision to drop the fresh flower contracts.
What a result, more revelations. Our carbon foot-print had decreased dramatically. No more twice weekly trips to the local tip with “green” waste, cardboard and bags full of cellophane.
A massive decrease in fuel consumption with fewer trips to the flower market and monthly visits instead of the usual weekly visits to clients. Realising this, I looked closer at the “environmental” implications of fresh and artificial flowers and became confident that this was a more ethical choice for me, my team, business and also my clients who are increasingly becoming conscious of their own sustainabilty.
A new business was born, customers increased and our team has grown too. I look forward to showing you what we can do for your business.
Tabitha Peet
Business Owner