Hello and welcome to Friday 5 December 2025.

It's been a very wet and chilly week: I've been soaked too many times to remember this week and it's not been nice! Thank you if you sent me a comment about the last few episodes - it's always good to hear what you think. I have (finally) placed my large rose order and I can't wait to get them and see the blooms next year. My course is going well and I'm just starting a module on marketing, which I hope will prove useful.

I take a deep dive into wreaths on this episode: their history, origins, and the symbolism and meaning behind the elements and foliage. I was interested to learn the reasons why certain foliages and cones or berries are used. I will be prepping the materials for my wreaths this weekend: have you started yours yet?

Lots of work to do this weekend including building a new house for my cockerel, Lion, and his wife, Kiki D, more planting and transplanting, tulip planting, and working my way through my marketing module. I hope that you have a great weekend and come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Connect with me

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to this podcast so that you're the first to hear new episodes when they become available every Tuesday and Friday. And if you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to leave a review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast.

Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 2 December 2025. Welcome to December!

Tonight's episode is all about buying imports vs British-grown flowers (or wherever you're growing if you're not in the UK). It's a very hot topic and this episode is based entirely on a podcast I listened to this morning between two UK florists who talk about the pressure they feel to only use British flowers, and why they actually have to use Dutch imports.

There are many reasons why florists can't rely on British flowers for 12 months a year: we just can't grow everything all year round so there's always going to be a place for imports. What growers really need is a better dialogue (and a stronger working relationship) with their local florists to understand their needs better and be able to service those needs. If we don't have this, we won't understand our clients properly and won't be able to provide stems for them.

And let's talk about the problems associated with some imports, particularly roses. There are widespread reports of environmental pollution in areas where roses are grown in Africa but more importantly, let's talk about the health implications of a predominantly female workforce being exposed to chemicals with inadequate PPE. Do people really want to buy roses that have been produced like this? I know that I don't.

Finally, tonight's episode ends with some thoughts about how growers could work in a better ways with florists so that we all benefit. It really would be a win-win for us. So, all in all, a hot topic indeed and I'd love to know what you think: send me a DM on insta @henhillcutflowers.

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always welcome!

LINKS:

An Unrosy Affair: Europe's Flower Trade Fuels Climate Crisis in Kenya: https://www.journalismfund.eu/unrosy-affair-how-europes-love-flowers-affecting-kenya

Joanne's episode about imports vs British flowers: https://thediaryofaflorist.podbean.com/e/episode-19-using-imported-vs-british-flowers-with-lindsey-from-the-white-horse-flower-company/

Connect with me

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to this podcast so that you're the first to hear new episodes when they become available every Tuesday and Friday. And if you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to leave a review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast.

Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 28 November 2025.

Today's episode discusses the million-dollar dahlia question: to lift or not to lift tubers? It's a question that many growers have a dilemma about every year and I'm no exception. This year I'm leaving mine in the ground and I'll explain why here. The majority of this episode is therefore a discussion of the pros and cons of lifting - or not lifting - and the growing conditions that native dahlias thrive in.

In other news, I've been busy measuring all of my bed space and calculating exactly how much I have to play with next year. It sounds quite good on paper (to me) but I've already filled a lot of the beds with perennials, foliage and shrubs so the annuals really are going to have to be planted very close together in 2026! I'm also sharing with you a list of all the jobs on the plot that I haven't managed to do recently, and if you're in the same boat then you're not alone!

I hope you have a great weekend and please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always welcome.

Connect with me

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to this podcast so that you're the first to hear new episodes when they become available every Tuesday and Friday. And if you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to leave a review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast.

Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.