Christmas can so often feel like a season of overindulgence, with overgenerous supplies of food, well-meant but unwanted presents, mountains of wrapping paper and one-off decorations all going to waste once the festivities are over. At The Real Flower Company we are passionate about sustainability, so we have ensured that our beautiful collection of Christmas wreaths for door and table decorations are all compostable and biodegradable. Read on to find out more.

Our founder, Rosebie Morton, has always been adamant that it is our duty to leave the land we farm and the world around us in a better condition than we found it. Each year we increase our efforts to support bee and insect life, improve our soil and make our farm a haven for wildlife. Our sustainable farm is certified under the Assured Combinable Crops Scheme and the LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Marque, a member of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and part of the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group – all green and eco organisations that recognise that our flowers and foliage are grown sustainably and with care for the environment. We manage our soil and irrigation to avoid erosion and waste, conserve energy to maintain a low carbon footprint, and use integrated pest-management techniques to ensure that the way we grow our flowers has a positive impact on the environment. For instance, all our plants are grown through specialist matting to suppress weeds, negating the use of weed killers. Our eco meadow attracts beneficial insects such as lacewings, hoverflies and ladybirds, helping us to nurture a diverse insect population. Guinea fowl and bantams roam the farm to control our populations of aphids and unwanted insects and we have a collection of hives to support bees and help pollination.

It should be no surprise, then, that this year we have made all of our wreath bases either compostable moss or biodegradable oasis. That means that once the festivities are over and your wreath has faded, you can compost it and let nature take its course. Plus you can be assured that each beautiful arrangement is made up of foliage, herbs and flowers grown sustainably on our own Hampshire eco farm – including dried hydrangea and astrantia, lavender and rosemary, bracken and grasses, eucalyptus and willow stems, berries and seed heads – picked and where appropriate dried in situ. Our expert florists make up each of the stunning arrangements on site or in our London flower shops, minimising the carbon footprint so the wreaths are delivered direct from us to your door.

Some of our Christmas arrangements contain our signature scented roses – and these are grown equally sustainably in our sister farm Tambuzi in Kenya. Tambuzi has recently been accepted as the first Kenyan member of the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative, a collection of accredited businesses working towards a climate-neutral world through sustainable development. As well as using solar energy on the farm, Tambuzi has reduced its carbon footprint and sustainability by harvesting rainwater and using organic fertiliser and waste as compost.

‘At Tambuzi, we work hard to grow flowers that deliver happiness in a way that makes us proud. We are very happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with other like-minded businesses at UN Climate Neutral Now, as we measure and take responsibility for our climate impact,’ says director Maggie Hobbs.

Situated on the equator, Tambuzi’s consistent all-year climate and hours of daylight means no electric light is needed to grow its flowers. Plus, to keep a low carbon footprint, blooms are flown to the UK using spare capacity on passenger planes.

If you are looking to reduce your own impact on the environment, to lower your carbon footprint and to have a sustainably happy Christmas, browse our Christmas Collection here. Our wreaths and Christmas bouquets are available for next-day delivery from 1 to 23 December.

SHOP OUR CHRISTMAS COLLECTION >