Su Whale meets Kathryn Cronin of Fierceblooms

Cheshire based sustainable flower grower and floral artisan, Kathryn Cronin of Fierceblooms, is celebrating her tenth year anniversary this year. Passionate and dedicated, she is constantly looking for interesting uses of flowers and foliage and new innovations in sustainability, all of which are instrumental in advancing professional floristry. 

‘My aim is to be able to convey the incredible standard of professional floristry at places such as RHS shows to the members and wider readers of the Interflora Floristry Trade Club, via the website and on their social media platforms. I also, and I am very passionate about this, hope that this insight to flower growing and floristry will help to inspire our next generations of florists, to show them just what is possible and how they can aim to have their work showcased at such prestigious events.’ 

1. What inspired you to take the leap into growing and floristry? 

I was made redundant. It was a gift. I'd always grown though, inspired by my wonderful grandfather. Sowing seeds aged 5 inspired a degree in botany and then I took the corporate path. The plants always called though. I adore their scent and beauty, plus Reaseheath college was just 15 minutes down the road. 

2. Congratulations on your tenth anniversary. Looking back, with the knowledge you have now, is there anything different you wished you’d known/or done? 

About 5 years ago, I converted some of the beds into perennials, things like alchemilla mollis, delphiniums, echinops and mint, together with some shrubs including hydrangea. They have been more robust in the changing weather we're seeing. And the big advantage was I could use them dry as well as fresh. For the annuals I grow now, I'm looking for that same dual flexibility of purpose, so I can cut fresh or dry for everlastings. Nigella, helichrysum, statice, poppy and achillea are fairly easy to grow and I wish I'd thought of that flexible growing earlier. I also wish I'd planted more foliage and shrubs!  

3. What advice would you give to those interested in growing their own flowers? 

In my view every florist who is interested in a wilder garden style aesthetic can gain so much insight and learning from growing a garden. Size, scale, form, texture, it's all there waiting for you to explore, and you can have access to utterly unique things without spending cash at a wholesalers. I'd say this growing has really influenced how I arrange. I think it can make you look at designs through a different lens. Often the garden highlights things you would not have seen or thought of putting together. You can also grow some amazingly unique flowers. 

So rather than seeing seasonality as a constraint, there's almost a directed curation to that choice. Yes, I do lose work as I can't absolutely guarantee or provide the flowers that are requested. There is perhaps a deeper conversation about aesthetic and environment still to have. When we can't discuss these things nicely though is when we are in real trouble. There's plenty of evidence of the mood enhancing benefits of being outside too, so as well as beautiful plants, there's some sanity!  

4. How do you sustain your business in the winter months? 

Florists know that every stem can be dried. What you discover though is not all flowers dry beautifully. So although seasonality comes with a long winter, the flowers I grow are dried on the beams here and those floral echoes of summer decorate wreaths for darker days. 

5. What do you love most about what you do? 

I love to grow and that I get to choose what I plant. Often it's to a colour palette that I can mix together easily. You can also grow colours of the year, so it's a white Pantone year this year. I learnt early on there's no point growing flowers that are in vogue if you don't LOVE to arrange with them. My wreath classes last Christmas reminded me that seeing others create something beautiful they didn't believe they could is just lovely. 

 I've also started to study medicinal herbalism as I've discovered there's half an apothecary out there. Most growers would have the same unbeknown to them. So I love that the garden is medicinal and can actually heal.  

6. Have you ever, or would you consider, using imported flowers in your designs if a customer requested it, or has that situation never occurred? 

I chose from the outset that I'd create only with seasonal locally grown flowers. Growing for my floristry was a way to be outside after a corporate office life. I wanted to guarantee no chemicals were on the flowers I was arranging and sending to others, so I joined Flowers from the Farm and learned more about growing to scale. Under that sustainable banner was also the mechanics. Using straw/hay bases for wreaths and funeral arrangements is the way forward I feel and years of use here has convinced me there's always alternatives and we can creatively seek them. I understand it takes time and investment, but it feels like we're at a pivotal floral moment. For many for years, conversations have been very polar, people won't understand or want the difference. I believe they do.  

7. You won a silver medal at Chelsea last year, how important was it to bring your design ethos to the show? 

I remain totally thrilled to be invited to exhibit for the RHS. The RHS is super supportive of sustainability, and I admire their bold decision to ban the use of floral foam. Sometimes, it takes zero tolerance from a highly influential organisation to highlight an issue. "Time To Change" was the first time I exhibited at Chelsea with a floral compass all about the sustainable choices can be made in both floristry and growing. Sustainability is at the heart of Fierceblooms and for all my exhibits for the RHS and their support of that ethos means a great deal to me.   

8. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing growers at the moment? 

The environment, economics, and a rapidly changing world! We perhaps have lost sight of the beauty of a simple bunch of flowers. Well grown, with no chemicals to add anything but the seasonal moment to your life. I appreciate that there is cost to this seemingly unnecessary purchase. When I'm asked about the cost of a stem or an arrangement, I know what it has taken to grow or learn the craft and skill of arranging them. Flowers are there for us at pivotal moments in our lives. I believe there's such a benefit for us to have beauty with us more, it makes us care more.  

9. What are your hopes for growing and floristry going forward?  

My hope is that flower growers everywhere continue to materially contribute to the diversity of our land. After a couple of years the wildlife does find you. I learned early on that they are in charge, along with mother nature. They are part of why I grow with no chemicals. Yes, there’s a physicality to growing, the rain, the mud! My hope is that more florists explore growing or find a grower as my experience is that it can inform and really influence your design aesthetic. 

I hope that there's a huge move to really supporting local seasonal businesses, not only for their beautiful and unique flowers but for the wider environmental contribution. Gone are the days when you were only seen as a proper florist if you used floral foam. You also need to sell to stay financially viable and that only comes when others really start making that sustainable choice. 

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Su Whale is a florist and freelance writer with over thirty years' experience in the floristry industry. She is the author and publisher of three best-selling books: Cut Flowers, 4th edition (2020) Cut Foliage, 2nd Edition, (2021) and Houseplants (2019), all bookshelf essentials for the professional florist.