the farm

In our unwavering commitment to providing the freshest and most vibrant flowers, Gem crafts personalised bouquets daily.  This ensures that they do not linger unnecessarily, and dispatch our flowers in bud form whenever possible.  This lets you witness their exquisite bloom at home and enjoy a vastly extended vase life.

Gem creates each hand-tied bouquet to order, ensuring that it showcases our unique Farm Fresh style. Every bouquet comprises seasonal blooms, grown and harvested exclusively on our Cotswolds farm. These stunning arrangements celebrate the charm of each season, and their appearance may vary depending on the time of year, influenced by weather nuances and growing conditions.  Rest assured, Gem consistently selects varieties and colours that mirror those shown in the illustrations.

In contrast to flown-in flowers harvested days in advance, subjected to chemical treatments, and enduring extensive travel, subjected to long travel times, we avoid these practices altogether.  Our flowers are completely free of chemicals and pesticides, and while we may not have an official "organic" certification, we use organic farming methods.

By choosing to buy from local flower growers, you're contributing to the local economy.  Flowers cultivated nearby can be harvested at their perfect stage. This ensures they reach you as fresh as if picked from your garden. This subject is close to Gem's heart, as she passionately believes that British Flowers should be accessible for everyone to enjoy.

Gem's approach to flower cultivation is quite fascinating. She does not prioritise the ability to harvest identical blooms; instead, she takes pride in cultivating smaller quantities of diverse varieties on her farm.  According to her, this brings something unique to arrangements. The stems may bend and wiggle, but it is this natural, farm-fresh charm that captivates her. Even though Gem is not a florist by trade, she has a good eye for what she likes.

I'm Gem, 46 years old, and on a mission to live my best life. My garden, always my sanctuary, has been a haven for nurturing, building, and connecting with nature. It's a tranquil space where I feel a profound connection with God.

During the 2020 lockdown, this space became even more vital. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the flowers and food that brightened our days on our land.

However, I couldn't help but think about those who lacked this sanctuary. Flowers have always held a special place in my heart, and that's when the idea of a flower farm took root. What if I could grow for others too? And here I am, engaged in something that fulfils so many aspects of my life. How fortunate am I?

In our household, we strive to embrace an organic lifestyle, both in our food choices and anything that flourishes on our land. This commitment extends to the flowers cultivated on our farm. It brings me great satisfaction that my florists and floral designers, who purchase flowers from my farm, appreciate and value this approach. 

We grow our flowers outdoors in the UK,  carefully choosing varieties that flourish in their specific local growing conditions. Committed to nurturing the soil, we enhance the land by using homemade compost derived from cuttings, trimmings, and spent flowers collected from around the farm.

Our efforts extend to creating habitats for bees and butterflies, fostering diverse environments for soil microbes, invertebrates, and all the interconnected life forms that rely on them.  This creates a wonderful ecosystem that allows the survival of flowers without chemical interferences.  A practice we are very proud of here on the Farm.

British flowers cover only a fraction of the mileage compared to their imported counterparts. Although often labelled as 'Dutch flowers',' The Netherlands' flower auctions relay not only flowers grown within Europe but also those air-freighted thousands of miles from South America, Africa, and Asia. At present, approximately 86% of the UK's cut flower market consists of imported blooms.  However, with the exceptional efforts of "Flowers from the Farm", the award-winning association for artisan cut flower growers in the UK, of which Gem is a member, these numbers are climbing.  

While our primary focus is on growing flowers for wholesale, we also extend the opportunity for customers to bring the same quality blooms into their homes.  Recently, we've introduced a "farmstand" located just outside our farm, and it will be open seasonally starting in March. 

Stay tuned to social media posts for regular updates on when fresh flowers will be available for purchase at the farm stand.

https://www.facebook.com/thecotswoldflowerfarm/

https://www.instagram.com/thecotswoldflowerfarm/