Irish Flower Week aims to make us think local and sustainable when it comes to our purchases
This week is Irish Flower Week and to mark the occasion we spoke to local woman, Anna Browne who grows a profusion of flowers, fruit and vegetables in her suburban garden at Green Park Meadows, Mullingar.
The event is organised by the Flower Farmers of Ireland to showcase the wealth and beauty of Irish grown blooms and to steer consumers away from imports shipped in from such places as Kenya, Anna said.
“You wouldn’t go into a shop and buy milk that was not from Ireland,” she said, adding that the same should hold for flowers, fruit and vegetables. Anna noticed a shift in buying habits during lockdown and says consumers are re-evaluating purchasing policies, particularly when it comes to sustainability and environmental issues. For instance, there is a growing interest in buying from sources that are growing pollinator-friendly plants, she says.
Anna uses no pesticides, weedkillers or artificial fertilisers in her garden, a haven of biodiversity and home to five rescue hens and the occasional visiting hedgehog. She does not use floral foam or plastics in her bouquets, which are cut, arranged and delivered within hours.
Anna sells her produce to private clients, select retail outlets including Nuts and Grains and through the online Neighbourfood Markets, which she manages in Mullingar and Ballymahon.
The Flower Farmers of Ireland has 60 members, described as creative individuals with an eye for design and a passion for sustainability. They also tend to be resilient with a good work ethic, as growing fresh flowers is labour intensive and subject to many and varied challenges – particularly the weather.
The aim of Irish Flower Week, Anna said, is to “shine a spotlight on Irish flowers, to showcase the passion and skill of our members and the beauty of their produce”.
They hope to raise awareness of the increased availability of Irish home grown flowers, educate consumers on when Irish flowers are in season and encourage them to support local by buying more Irish flowers.
Profiles of the members who are growing and selling fresh flowers and foliage from Irish soil are available on the Flower Farmers of Ireland website. Most Members also have active social media accounts where they share updates on the highs and lows of growing fresh flowers in the Irish climate.
Anna runs online classes and workshops and provides garden design and creation services. Her IT and organisational skills allow her passion for growing to shine brightly, even in an online setting.
Anna has helped and encouraged many people to get started “growing their own” so if your green fingers are itching check her out and dig in!