A chance encounter with a careers’ officer at 15 sent Nicola into the world of floristry. After brief encounters with the fashion industry and a masters degree in environmental management, she now runs her very own eco florist in Lancashire. Less packaging means more flowers!
I’ve always been environmentally minded and when I started my own shop it made sense to stick to my own values. We use less packaging and I can trace my flowers back to the farms where they are grown. It goes down really well with the customers. They get more value for money as there’s more flowers and less packaging. I also think what’s the point in buying an 80cm lily if you’re going to cut it down to 50cm to fit into a box?
I’m happy to be a member of the GFG because it’s a standard that has been achieved. This is a very trusting industry. The customer has to trust us because we can’t show what’s in our heads. Being part of the GFG gives the customer a sense that they know they’re going to get a high standard.
When I was 15, my mum dragged me to a careers’ officer. I told him I’d worked in a shop and that I liked art so he said ‘right, you’re going to be a florist’. I said ‘OK’. I didn’t even know what a florist was! It has turned out to be the right decision though.
