Flowers

I buy flowers from Aldi until I can pick from our garden. They never let me down but I buy just before a special day Easter etc as the price goes up.
My daughter spends a fortune buying them on line and as grateful as I am they are a rip off.

As my birthday falls a week before Mothers Day, I’ve always told my DDs not to bother with any flowers for Mothers Day - they are and always were a rip off, substantially increased prices for the day and any of my birthday flowers will still be fine. It’s the same around Valentines and I often used to treat myself to fabulous roses, less than half price a couple of days later.
Flowers are nice, but I don’t like my family to pay over the odds.

My three children give money to various charities. I asked them to do so years ago and it makes me a lot happier than a bunch of flowers etc.

I only like simple bunches of flowers...i.e tulips..or daffodils..or stocks ...but usually my Children ask me what I would like and I usually ask for bags of compost or a perennial plant...

Years ago, i made a newsyear's resolution to always have flowers in the hall, if no where else and I like to buy from the florist in the village because I don't want yet another hairdresser or coffee shop opening. But, Waitrose flowers last so much longer that I have a big dilemma.

I've taken to alternating.

Tesco were selling some lovely plants and baskets and things all for £10

I've told my DD's not to bother with flowers as they are too expensive. I usually get hand cream or a nice candle that I would buy myself.
I told DH before Valentine's day not to go to the florist. He got red roses from M&S and hid them and they were a quarter of the price and lasted three weeks.

I find Tesco flowers good quality and reasonably priced. 💐

I prefer Sainsbury’s flowers to Waitrose, better choice and last longer. Fortunately our local Sainsbury’s has a quick pop in till near the flowers.
I do like getting a bunch of flowers for Mother’s Day, but a pot plant or flowering bulbs as just as welcome.

My mum would have been 100 today, I always buy flowers on her birthday, today I got them in Asda, a beautiful selection for £15.

Much prefer a plant or bulbs, so they can last a long time, and with bulbs, many years.

I love flowers, but these days try to stick to garden flowers in season, or local flowers in season. In winter, colourful plants.

much prefer plants
Don’t really like to watch cut flowers as they die… very short life usually

for me, more about huge greenhouses covering masses of land, heating, peat, chemicals and huge plane mileage.

For me I think of the Kenya and their farming land and water.
Sorry if I upset you.

Upset who mokryna? I totally agree with you.

My flowers came from Bloom and wild and are giving me a lot of pleasure. My daughter knows how much I love to have flowers in the house and for one of my birthdays bought me a monthly bouquet for a year. It was such a lovely present. If you choose a company that uses Fair Trade flowers (like Bloom and Wild) your money supports local people and it's actually better than buying UK produced flowers under glass. I'm attaching a link for anyone interested. I worry about them being flown in but I also worry about poverty in places like Kenya. It's such a difficult balance. www.fairtrade.org.uk/farmers-and-workers/flowers/

Fleurpepper

Upset who mokryna? I totally agree with you.

Not you Fleurpepper. I just feel that Africa is not only exporting cut flowers but also its precious water.

I always buy flowers at Costco. You get a huge bunch and they always seem to last far longer than those bought anywhere else. I bought tulips nearly 3 weeks ago and they are only now starting to wilt a bit. I bought a bunch of daffodils from Aldi on Friday, £1. They started to open as sonn as I put them in water. They still look fresh but I know in a couple of days they will have to be thrown out.

ALways send my AC a message by end of February each year telling them NOT to send me flowers or pressie on this commercialised day. Phone calls from each of them is great.

mokryna

Fleurpepper

Upset who mokryna? I totally agree with you.

Not you Fleurpepper. I just feel that Africa is not only exporting cut flowers but also its precious water.

It's such a difficult balance. Agriculture is vital to Kenya, it relies on it's export of food and flowers. 40% of the population are involved in agriculture and that rises to 70% in rural areas, where the poorest live. They need us to buy cash crops but I totally get the issue over water so I feel buying "Fair Trade" is the way to go.

If good water, soil and husbandry were used to grow food for the people in Africa and Europe helped by subsidized their farming, less people would end up as starving refugees.

mokryna

If good water, soil and husbandry were used to grow food for the people in Africa and Europe helped by subsidized their farming, less people would end up as starving refugees.

Indeed but surely African countries need to develop their economies so they become less dependent on "European Charity". Here's an interesting report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations that's worth a read.
www.fao.org/kenya/programmes-and-projects/en/

Oh dear, it seems that no matter what bring joy to some people on here - be it food, flowers, whatever - there always has to be someone who comes along and pours cold water on it. Just let people enjoy what they enjoy...

mokryna

If good water, soil and husbandry were used to grow food for the people in Africa and Europe helped by subsidized their farming, less people would end up as starving refugees.

because ...

what is wrong with being aware of the consequences of our actions?