Why buy flowers for Christmas and what to choose?

Studies of reactions to gifts of flowers undertaken at Rutgers University, New Jersey, concluded that flowers elicit true happiness in 100 per cent of the people who receive them. We put this theory to the test and asked Facebook if you like receiving flowers for Christmas. Your comments delivered a resounding yes vote (95%)! Two respondents said no to flowers for Christmas but would love a bouquet to brighten their New Year and just one person responded with definitive no. Of the sixty-one replies, all but the ‘no’ respondent were women. So we think it’s safe to say that flowers are an extremely good bet as a Christmas gift idea. [caption id="attachment_468" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Christmas Spiced Peach Bouquet[/caption]

What do you give the person who has everything?

Do you have a tricky friend or loved one to buy for? Someone who if they want something usually treats themselves, has taste beyond your budget or just doesn’t need any more stuff? Try flowers! The detailed responses to our Facebook poll were almost unanimous in indicating that flowers lift your mood, making them the perfect gift for the person who has everything. [caption id="attachment_469" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Eucalyptus Garland[/caption]

Go green this Christmas

Are you dreaming of a plastic-free Christmas? Flowers may seem the perfect solution, but just because they are biodegradable doesn’t mean they are a green or even ethical choice. Where possible, it’s always best to go for local, seasonal and responsibly grown products. On our flower farm in the South Downs National Park, everything we grow is lovingly nurtured using sustainable farming techniques and eco-initiatives. We’re certified under the Assured Combinable Crops Scheme, part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and a member of the Farm Wildlife Advisory Group. When the UK rose season comes to an end we grow our scented roses, lavender and rosemary on our sister Fairtrade flower farm in Kenya, which is credited with the highest possible levels of social and environmental standards. We also have a company policy of utilising excess space on passenger planes so the transport of our roses has only one-sixth of the carbon footprint of the Dutch imports common in the UK. The quality of our Kenyan roses is exceptional and we work closely with David Austin as their official cut stem supplier.  [caption id="attachment_470" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Berry, Herb & Foliage Door Wreath[/caption]

Common concerns about buying flower for Christmas

Concern 1: They are too expensive

Real roses that are responsibly grown as nature intended sadly can’t be shipped flat in the post. So you’ll find that our roses bear no resemblance to the standard scent-free, genetically modified hybrid tea blooms you find in most UK petrol stations, supermarkets and florists. We ship our roses in bud so they can open into generous full blooms that fill the room with scent. Our bouquets are individually hand-tied with the season’s most exquisite herbs, flowers and foliage and are delivered in a big green box fastened with an opulent satin bow. [caption id="attachment_471" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Nordic Bouquet[/caption]

Concern 2: Flowers don’t last

Flowers don’t last forever, but like champagne they are more indulgent for just that reason. A study by Nancy Etcoff of Harvard Medical School, which looked at fifty-five women over two weeks to assess the effect flowers had on their mood, found that after even a few days they reported feeling less stressed, more compassionate and happier.

Concern 3: I don’t know when would be a good time to have the flowers delivered?

Why not choose a gift voucher? Or for a more lasting and indulgent gift select a monthly flower delivery and let the recipient choose the dates that suit them? [caption id="attachment_472" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]David Austin Christmas Bouquet[/caption]

What to choose?

For someone chic and modern, our Nordic collection with scented white roses, silver lavender, eucalyptus and striking black and white anemones in the perfect place to start. For someone whose style is classic and who loves a traditional Christmas, take a look at our Christmas Posy, David Austin Christmas Bouquet or Berry, Herb & Foliage Door Wreath. For something different, try the copper, blush and blue tones of our Christmas Spiced Peach Bouquet – an instant best-seller from the moment we launched our Christmas collection. [caption id="attachment_473" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Christmas Posy[/caption]