Sustainability in floristry is not one decision or one label. It runs through the flowers we buy, the suppliers we work with, the packaging we use, the waste we create and the way we organise deliveries.
For Gardenia, the aim is to make practical improvements that work in a busy independent flower shop and that we can explain clearly to our customers.
Choosing flowers and suppliers
We source through a network of trusted growers, wholesalers and specialist suppliers rather than relying on one source. Depending on the season and the particular stem, flowers may come from the UK, the Netherlands or further afield. Our florists choose for freshness, quality, provenance and reliability, while making the most of the flowers that are genuinely at their best at that point in the year.
100% home-compostable flower packaging
Our flower packaging is now 100% home compostable. This is one of the clearest changes we have made from the conventional single-use plastic packaging historically associated with the flower trade.
You can read more about that journey in our home-compostable packaging article.
What happens to our green waste?
Floristry naturally creates a lot of stems, leaves and other green material. All of Gardenia’s green waste is handled through COM:POST rather than being treated as ordinary general waste.
Local delivery
For local orders, we use Evermile’s delivery technology to plan and manage delivery rounds. This applies to all local deliveries, regardless of which driver carries out the delivery, helping us organise routes consistently and keep customers updated.
For a first-hand look at one part of that supply chain, read Jamie’s account of visiting flower farms in Kenya.
An ongoing job
There is always more to improve. We would rather be specific about the changes we have actually made than make sweeping claims about being “green”. Our approach is to keep reviewing packaging, sourcing, waste and delivery decisions as better options become available.
See our current Planet commitments for more about the way we work.
