Don't buy flowers from supermarkets

[Stonehead]

How your supermarket flowers empty Kenya's rivers

And yes, I know the supermarkets (T***o, Sainsbury's, M&S) will argue that it's not them; it's the companies that grow the flowers. But they're still selling the flowers!

[Merry]

And shoppers are still buying them - so I guess we have the power in the end - should we care to exercise it!

[Earthmother]

That's scandalous! What's wrong with growing flowers here, we can grow them and we have lots more water. Supermarket flowers are rubbish and always die quickly anyway.

[LSP]

As I've come to understand in the last decade or so: everything that is so suspiciously cheap must have some dire consequences downstream. Or upstream, in this case. We must really get people, and especially the younger generation, to think: what is more important? Cheap imported flowers to brighten up a home temporarily, to aid our vanity, or food for people who otherwise might not have any. I'm sorry, but I get very cross reading reports like this.

[LSP]

I feel like such a fraud posting in this Forum....

Made it quite clear (I thought) how I felt about supermarket flowers on Thursday while on a long journey in a very full car. On Friday, Mum-in-law comes back from the shops with ... supermarket flowers for me!

I had to say, 'O, thank you, very nice,' when I really wanted to tear my hair (what's left of it) out!

I've also been brought up to respect mother-in-law, she who fills the kettle to the top to make a cup of tea ... in a tea-pot ... requiring me to wash one more thing ....

Just wanted a rant. Feel better now.

[Andy Hamilton]

It has been probally too long since I bought flowers for Emma and at least now I have an excuse.

I much prefer to go out and pick flowers for her, even if it is just some blossom that looks pretty normally cheers her up a bit.

I must add that I don't go picking flowers that I don't recognise incase they are endangered.

[islanz]

I don't understand why people buy flowers at all. Personally picked flowers are so much nicer - whether they be from your garden, the wild (or stolen from someone elses garden). Buying flowers is such a huge waste of money, and it is the gesture of them that count, not the price tag. Flowers in the supermarkets over here arn't a big thing yet, but I imagine the flowers from a florist mostly come from somewhere very far away (I have'nt investigated) argggh

[bwaymark]

I reckon better advice would be to remove the word flowers from the subject "Don't buy flowers from supermarkets" and you'll have much better advice. :-)

Although I must admit, that its difficult to find better prices for bog role and the local Morrisons is the only place I've found around here that stocks hemp seed oil, which I find is great for cooking with. Oh ya, and bubble bath and shampoo for the kids (they refuse to use my olive oil soap on their hair)...

[PurpleDragon]

Re florists :

when Dad died in March, we stipulated 'no flowers' and asked for donations instead. (No - not for us - for a charity we support!)

However, Mum and I wanted to put something on his coffin from the children (my three) and we chose a wee posy of freesias. They cost me well over £50!!!! FIFTY QUID!!! For bloody freesias.

I refused to let them go thru the fire and had the bloke lift them off the coffin for me to take home instead.

[Tensing]

For those romantics that still want to give flowers to their loved ones, Wiggly wigglers do british flower bouquets

[Ranter]

I remember my boyfriend being very happy when I explained that I never wanted him to buy me flowers, as I prefer things that are still living. His smile faded a bit when I pointed out this didn't preclude him from buying me plants...

[Milims]

On our first date Chris bought me a dozen red roses - one of which I pressed. 32 days later he proposed to me and gave me another dozen red roses - the petals of which we kept and dried for confetti at our wedding next year. Since then he's bought me roses a few more times - and each time the petals have been kept - along with petals collected from my mothers garden - these roses came from my grandmothers garden. I have truly enjoyed receiving the flowers and the petals are to be "recycled", but now he's given me something much better - he's planted flowers in our garden and often they grow into something that can feed the family. To me thats a much better gift than something that you are charged a fortune for, that dies in a mushy mess far too quickly and can quite literally cost the earth!!
Helen and Chris

[Stonehead]

On our first date Chris bought me a dozen red roses - one of which I pressed. 32 days later he proposed to me and gave me another dozen red roses - the petals of which we kept and dried for confetti at our wedding next year. Since then he's bought me roses a few more times - and each time the petals have been kept - along with petals collected from my mothers garden - these roses came from my grandmothers garden. I have truly enjoyed receiving the flowers and the petals are to be "recycled", but now he's given me something much better - he's planted flowers in our garden and often they grow into something that can feed the family. To me thats a much better gift than something that you are charged a fortune for, that dies in a mushy mess far too quickly and can quite literally cost the earth!!
Helen and Chris

I'm a romantic too - I gave the OH a stainless steel fork so she could plant her own roses...

[Tensing]

Stonehead you old romantic you,

[Wombat]

After all these years I still get Mrs Wombat flowers occasionally, I know I shouldn't, when I was doing Farm Tech our teacher said never to buy land used for growing cut flowers -

1. They don't get eaten, and
2. they cant be blemished in any way

So the pesticide use is horrendous!

Nev