Sustainability
Sustainability Policy
At The Floral Potager, we create wedding and event flowers with deep respect for nature and the seasons. Our designs are rooted in a belief that meaningful celebrations can be both beautiful and environmentally responsible. Sustainability is not an add-on - it is the foundation of how we grow, design and work. We believe beautiful wedding and event flowers should be created in harmony with nature, guided by the seasons, and produced with care for the environment, people and long-term viability of our business.
We grow and source British, seasonal flowers wherever possible, allowing the time of year to guide colour palettes, textures and floral choices. This natural approach results in designs that feel effortless, abundant and uniquely connected to the landscape in which they are created.
By working in a truly sustainable manner, we offer floristry that is considered, honest and kind to the environment—without compromising on style or impact. Each wedding or event is approached with care, creativity and a commitment to sustainable practices from seed to celebration, capturing a moment in time and celebrating the very best of the seasons offerings. Our aim is to help couples and clients celebrate in a way that reflects their values, creating floral designs that are not only memorable on the day, but responsible long after it has passed.
This policy outlines our commitments and the practical steps we take to meet the sustainable objectives of our business.
Our Approach
Our sustainability approach is shaped by the scale of our business and the realities of seasonal flower farming and floristry. We prioritise meaningful, achievable actions over unrealistic promises and remain transparent about both our progress and limitations. Environmental sustainability is at the heart of The Floral Potager and is where we place our strongest emphasis.
Our Values
​Seasonal & British-Led
We prioritise flowers grown on our own plot and by local and trusted British growers, choosing seasonal blooms that reflect the natural cycle of the year and reduce the need for imports. For the 2026 season we aim to supply 100% of flowers and foliage from British sources. This dramatically reduces our carbon footprint compared to using imported flowers.
Care for Soil & Wildlife
We grow without the use of harmful chemicals, nurturing healthy soil and creating space for pollinators and wildlife to thrive. We adopt regenerative and organic farming practices, relying on our home made compost and local manure for feeding the soil. Although not certified organic we adhere to organic guidelines and are members of the Organic Growers Alliance. We use 100% peat free compost to grow many of our plants from seeds. For perennials we strive to use British grown plant nurseries. We adopt natural, biological control of pests by encouraging and protecting predators of pests (for example wild birds, ladybirds and ducks) and strive for balance in the natural ecosystem by minimising our impact. We actively protect, restore and create important habitats for wildlife on our land to conserve and increase biodiversity.
Chemical free flowers
As well as avoiding the use of chemical sprays and treatments in the field, we also do not apply any chemicals to our flowers once cut. Chemical treatments and preservatives are widely used in the cut flower industry and harmful residues can remain on plant material. Our flowers are as fresh as can be and all they need is clean buckets and fresh water. Our dried flowers are 100% natural and home grown, we never use beached or dyed flowers.
Low-Waste Floristry
We work thoughtfully to minimise waste, reuse and compost wherever possible, and avoid single-use plastics in our floristry and packaging, including using 0% floral foam. We avoid the use of excessive packaging and never use single use plastics like cellophane. We use biodegradable twine or British made naturally plant and hand-dyed peace silk ribbons to tie bouquets. We compost all 100% green waste and use this to feed the soil for future flowers. Cardboard is composted or used for no-dig beds. Any plastic waste (minimal) will be recycled using local council facilities.
Environmental Responsibility
We make conscious choices to reduce our environmental impact, from sustainable sourcing and materials to energy-aware working practices. We collect rainwater and use this for irrigating our beds when necessary. If this source runs dry during droughts we use water efficient drip lines if needed.
Education & Community
Through our flowers, workshops and designs, we aim to reconnect people with the natural world and the beauty of locally grown, seasonal blooms. We aim to deliver a minimum of four workshops per year focused on seasonal flowers, sustainable floristry and growing. We ensure all freelance and seasonal support is paid at or above the Real Living Wage, reviewed annually.
Our objectives for 2026
We are excited to be working on the following areas
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Protecting, restoring and creating important habitats for wildlife on our land to conserve and increase biodiversity:
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Complete biodiversity study/assessment to provide a baseline for changes
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Leave areas of grass unmown in lawn, flower field and orchard
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Plant new native hedgerows – 100m to include crab apples and hazel
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Plant wildflowers in wild areas around flower field and in orchard
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Plant more apple trees
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Establish habitats/provide wildlife homes – songbird/swallow/bird/owl/bat boxes, bee hives (solitary and honey bee), log piles, pond, bee bank
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Create cold store for cut stems. By Summer 2026, design and construct a cold store with a green roof using natural and local materials under the shade of mature trees to maintain a cool temperature for buckets of cut stems.
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Reducing water-use and collecting rainwater. By Spring 2026, collect and use rainwater to supply at least 50% of irrigation needs during the growing season, using solar powered pumps.
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Making conscious choices around our supply chain, including packaging, mechanics and materials to reduce environmental impact.
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Measure, monitor and make steps to reduce carbon emissions.
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Reducing energy usage, using a 100% renewable energy supplier and generating energy where possible suing solar panels, for instance for electric fencing and water pumps.
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Explore options for electric vehicle replacements for transport.
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Promoting Sustainability to Clients. Develop resources to proactively communicate sustainability credentials to couples and clients. Create a sustainability timeline for the business with actions and commitments that will be published on website and social media along with sustainability policy.
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Digital declutter. By spring 2026, go through saved photos and videos and reduce amount saved in cloud.
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Finances - Move to ethical bank and accountant.
Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
Our sustainability objectives are reviewed annually and updated as the business grows. We monitor progress across areas including sourcing, waste, water use, energy, transport, biodiversity and supplier practices, and make improvements where possible.
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Transparency
This policy is publicly available and forms part of our ongoing commitment to honest, responsible floristry. We share progress updates through our website and communications and continue to learn and evolve year on year.