How better to encourage your customers to start a new houseplant obsession than with some easy care green indoor plants that are also believed to bring good luck and fortune?  Jade plant Crassula ovata   A bushy evergreen with fleshy, succulent leaves, often tinted with red, Crassula is slow growing and possibly one of the easiest plants to look after and propagate. Cared for correctly, it has the extra bonus of flowers in the summer, producing clusters of pretty, starry whit

As we come out of Winter and nature merges us into Spring, we as florists sense the change – in hedgerows, in gardens, in parks and anywhere where plants, trees and plant material are growing. Early Spring flowers emerge, delicate, symbolic, and full of promise. These blooms carry emotional weight far beyond their petals. For florists, they are more than seasonal offerings; they are storytellers, mood-setters, and the first messengers of renewal each year. Understanding their

A firecracker of a flower!  Pronounced ‘Loo-co-SPUR-mum’ the pincushion protea grows in a range of rich colours from tawny orange to red, a perfect palette for autumnal designs. Also know as Pincushion Protea, Nodding Pincushion, Sunburst Protea, Leucospermum is a member of the ancient Protea family. It is indigenous to South Africa where it provides essential food for birds and insects; it has a tactile, spiky flower head and pale green leathery leaves which grown in a spira

Never out of the top 10 of the world’s favourite flowers, the tulip is an iconic spring flowering bulb.

This week Su celebrates the arrival of Cornish-grown Narcissi; another welcome sign that spring is on the way.

Expand your Valentine’s gift range to include Gerbera

National Houseplant Week falls conveniently into the lull that comes after the Christmas decs have been packed away and before the prep begins in earnest for Valentine’s Day.  A time when people need a little pick me up and, after recovering from a busy festive season, perhaps nothing too challenging either, so here are my personal top five houseplants that are guaranteed to chase away January blues and brighten up an otherwise grey month.  My top 5 Customer Friendly Plants 

Su Whale's comprehensive guide to choosing and using UK-grown flowers and foliage.

The tulip is an iconic spring bulb and one which has been growing steadily in popularity at Valentine’s Day

I personally love Winter greens with seasonal festive flowers, berries and branches. Planning ahead for your floral and plant collections over the Winter season is the key to positive sales and marketing and should help make peak trading manageable and profitable. Always look to your suppliers and think about where you can get the best stems, good quality and good prices; where possible negotiate on pricing and delivery dates.   Seasonal and British-grown flowers and foliage

With flower prices at a premium and ongoing supply worries, concerns have resurfaced over the cost and availability of red roses for St. Valentine’s Day .

There’s more than one way to say ‘I love you’ than with a dozen red roses, however gorgeous!