Nominee Summary
Emma is a flower farmer and florist (sole trader) working under the brand name WilderBlooms in Ayrshire. She produces thousands of stems of cut flowers annually using organic and regenerative growing methods, as well as collaborating with other British flower farmers, and selling these flowers both as gift bouquets, and as arrangements, using plastic-free, sustainable methods for weddings in central Scotland. She champions British flower farming, and raises public awareness of the fact that floristry is a £2.5 billion industry in the UK, and imports >85% of flowers. Supporting British farms is not just food; its all fresh produce, flowers included.
Nominee – Qualities
Floristry using only British grown flowers is notoriously difficult within the floristry industry, due to the limited availability, seasonality and lack of infrastructure for easy access. Despite this Emma works solely with British grown flowers in an attempt to raise public awareness of the existence of British flower farms, as well as the quality, and variety of flowers available when you source locally and seasonally. She does this in the form of workshops, talks and school career fairs. There are very few florists in Scotland that solely use British flowers, and Emma is certainly the only one in Ayrshire to do so (despite its challenges!). On the farming side of things, she implements methods of regenerative agriculture on a small scale. What's the point of having flowers if we don't nurture the pollinators and soils they grow in? Using no dig bedding, composts comprising floristry waste, organic fertilisers such as manures and nettle teas, and never uses pesticides. Emma intends to leave the ecosystem better than she found it, and it must be protected if we wish to keep growing crops.
Nominee - Sectoral Impact
The local environment and ecosystem have benefited from Emma's organic and regenerative approach to growing flowers. While on a tiny scale it creates a haven for wildlife and pollinators and has actively improved soil health rather than depleting it. And that is the heart of what WilderBlooms stands for, a healthier ecosystem. But in a more tangible sense, Emma has taken part in rural careers fairs, such as the ones run by Dumfries House, aimed at young people still at school 13-18 year olds, to help them learn about careers in agriculture/horticulture that they may not have even been aware of. Emma has used this as a platform to talk to and answer questions, often from young girls interested in agriculture, as growing cut flowers in the UK is a predominantly female field. As mentioned in the previous section, Emma also raises awareness publicly, that Scottish flower farms DO exist. We grow some fantastic cut flowers, often organically, in this country. A lot of people are not aware of this fact, and are often fascinated to learn more. This creates a greater conversation in those people and those around them about considering where produce is grown, both flowers and otherwise, and opting to support Scottish farmers where possible.
Nominee - Going the extra mile
Emma has an unwavering standard of ONLY using flowers grown on British farms, which is incredibly challenging, but something she is not willing to compromise on. Sometimes this involves turning away work, or coming up with innovative alternatives for weddings. Clients may have ideas in their heads that aren't feasible when working with the British seasons. Using her extensive knowledge of varieties, when they crop across the country, and knowing which farms grow what varieties Emma can offer alternatives, or create arrangements that people love, but aren't even aware are options, because we are so used to the "standard" florists' fare of set varieties, grown in huge monocultures overseas. Emma won't import roses for your April wedding, but you could have Scottish grown ranunculus instead. There are very few florists in the UK with this approach. It is significantly easier to import supplemental flowers in these instances. This sets Emma apart. This unwillingness to compromise. A huge part of that mindset comes from working the land herself. Seeing the soil health, knowing the impacts of pesticides on pollinators, and seeing the sheer beauty and variety in both looks and fragrance that can be achieved with British flowers that imports will never come close to touching. The first thing people comment on when receiving a WilderBlooms bouquet is the fragrance - when did you last walk into a florist or supermarket and say that about the flowers? That difference makes going the extra mile worth it.
