What Does Sustainable Floristry Really Mean? Sally and Ruth’s Three Thoughtful Questions to Ask Before You Buy Your Next Bunch of Flowers.

Sally and Ruth from Pepperberry Flora showcase their sustainable floral creations.

Sustainable floristry gets talked about a lot, but it’s often flattened into buzzwords or aesthetics. It’s not just about using fewer roses or skipping foam, it’s a whole set of choices. Whether you’re buying flowers for an event or to have on your kitchen bench, these three questions will help you cut through the noise and make more considered decisions.

We sat down with Sally and Ruth, the talented florists behind Pepperberry Flora, to dig a little deeper into how they’re making sustainable floristry more accessible.

1. Where were these flowers grown and how did they get here?

This is the big one. Many cut flowers are grown overseas, flown thousands of kilometres, treated with chemicals to survive the journey, and stored in cold fridges for weeks. Ask if the flowers are locally grown, seasonally sourced, or imported. Local doesn’t always mean perfect, but shorter supply chains generally mean lower emissions, fresher blooms, and better worker conditions. Flowers grown according to the season also tend to last longer.

2. What materials are being used alongside the flowers?

Flowers are only part of the story. Floral foam, single-use plastics, synthetic ribbons, and non-recyclable mechanics all add up quickly. Where ever you get flowers, ask how arrangements are made and how you should dispose of them. Foam-free mechanics and reusable vessels really can reduce wastage and costs over the long run.

3. Who is being supported in this process?

Sustainability isn’t only environmental; it’s social and economic too. Are growers being paid fairly? Is the florist pricing work in a way that supports skilled labour and safe working conditions? Cheap flowers often come at a hidden cost: underpaid workers and waste built into the system. Choosing a florist who values ethical sourcing and transparent pricing helps sustain the industry itself, not just the end result

At its core, sustainable floristry is about intention. It’s about slowing down, asking better questions, and accepting that beauty doesn’t have to be perfect to be impactful. The next time you buy flowers, ask how they were grown and valued, because real sustainability lives in those details.

Join Sally and Ruth and learn how to use a traditional Kenzan to create striking, garden-grown floral arrangements inspired by the art of Ikebana. 12.30pm Saturday 24 January. Places are limited, get your tickets now.

You'll learn how to use a Kenzan to create professional-looking floral arrangements using elements from your garden, including from your veggie patch. This session offers a perfect blend of history, technique, and creativity, guiding you through the fundamentals and inspiring you to create stunning arrangements.

Participants at the 2025 workshop creatively crafting their own flower arrangements, a highly-rated experience that allows them to continue their floral artistry at home with a complimentary stainless steel kenzan.