Rozanne Delamore was at the world-famous floral event to showcase the value of British cut flowers, tell the story of those who grow them and encourage people to buy them when doing their shopping or planning special events.
She was with growers from Flowers from the Farm on a stand in the Great Pavilion at The Royal Horticultural Society event.
The group included artisan flower grower and East Norfolk NFU member Sarah Hammond, who also represents Flowers from the Farm, and runs her business, English Peonies, from North Walsham.
The display, which featured floral combinations that many visitors would not have seen before, earned them a silver-gilt award from the judges.
Enthusiastic public
A dairy farmer’s daughter and member of the Ledbury NFU branch, Rozanne runs artisan flower business The Ledbury Flower Farmer.
She said: “This was a huge team effort with flowers grown by Flowers from the Farm members up and down the country.
“This was fully rewarded with great enthusiasm from the public, many who came to find us at the show’s heart in the Great Pavilion after enjoying the TV coverage and wanting to see it for themselves, ask questions and engage with us as growers.
“We spoke to them about what we do and why and highlighted the importance of the sector to the economy and country’s ecology too.”
“There have been some wonderful displays and it’s just brilliant to see them and the spotlight firmly on this important sector.”
NFU Midlands Regional Board Chair Jane Bassett
A living showcase
The mini flower farm was a living showcase of the varieties of crops that flower farmers can grow in the UK in May, alongside a demonstration of the spectacular floristry that can be created from them.
The growers used block planting to create massed banks of British flowers, forming a loose swirl inspired by a Fibonacci spiral – the pattern in which all flowers open.
There were also beds of individual cut flower varieties framed in foliage and wild-flower corners with all plants used in the design featuring on the floristry stand.
Contributing to the rural economy
Rozanne specialises in growing seasonal, British flowers for florists across the region but also provides bespoke floristry for weddings, funerals and gift bouquets and a range of immersive experiences.
These experiences include sustainable floristry workshops, guided flower-farm tours and pick-your-own flower sessions.
Her business also helps to improve biodiversity, soil fertility and sustain ecosystems by providing habitats and forage for key pollinators.
“We grow our flowers on a smaller scale but collectively contribute hugely to the rural economy through employment, the sale of our flowers to florists and direct to the public, providing a rich biodiversity of flower crops grown and habitats provided,” Rozanne added.
“We offer floral workshops that offer the chance of creativity and wellbeing too.”
She said that British grown cut flowers were full of scent and character with no air miles and were most often grown in a “mixed agro-ecological setting” – trusting a farm’s wider ecosystem.
The Chelsea Flower Show has been a highlight of the UK’s horticultural calendar for more than a century and the floral extravaganza ran from 19 – 23 May.
More about the stand
The flower selection included ranunculus (the genus to which buttercups belong), making their Chelsea debut, alongside other crops such as foxgloves, orlaya, peonies and geums.
The floral display was complemented using patterned fabrics from the Guy Goodfellow Collection, whose botanically inspired design, Rendlesham, featured on the aprons of the Flowers from the Farm team attending the garden.
The ‘farm’ was planted in Sustain compost, which will be returned after the show to Sustain Wiltshire / Crapper & Sons Compost, in Wiltshire, and it will be used for a centrepiece growing space among the business’ compost heaps.
Other NFU members celebrating at Chelsea
East Shropshire NFU members David Austin Roses won their 30th Gold Medal with The Cotswold Garden which debuted the Sir David Beckham Rose and featured alongside the King’s Rose.
The Sir David Beckham Rose was created to celebrate his milestone 50th birthday after his daughter, Harper, wanted to give a truly unique gift: a rose that would reflect her father’s love for the British countryside and the hours they share together in the family garden.
For a tour go to: RHS Chelsea Flower Show: The Cotswold Garden | David Austin
While Tenbury Wells NFU members Frank P Matthews Trees won gold for a striking display dedicated to the Malus genus – these are small deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rosaceae, including the domesticated orchard apple, crab apples and wild apple.
The growers are specialists in both ornamental and fruit trees and their display featured more than 50 trees in full bloom.
NFU Midlands Regional Board Chair Jane Bassett said: “Huge congratulations to all NFU members who were at Chelsea Flower Show this year flying the flag for British horticulture, flowers, trees and other ornamental plants.
“There have been some wonderful displays and it’s just brilliant to see them and the spotlight firmly on this important sector.”
