GIVING FLOWERS
Connecting People
Giving Flowers
Connecting People
About
Loneliness, exclusion and disconnection within our communities has become increasingly present in recent times. The negative effect on an individual's physical and mental health is well documented. Society too is poorer and less harmonious when people and groups feel marginalised.
The team at Giving Flowers believe the gift of flowers is one way in which connections can be made and barriers gently pushed away. At the same time, the growing of insect friendly flowers in local gardens and allotments by a small team of volunteers can help to increase wildlife and connections between people and the natural environment. .
Our Mission
To grow flowers locally, organically and sustainably, to help increase food sources for insects and pollinators.
To cut and gift freshly created bouquets of flowers to people in our local community who might welcome them.
To increase, encourage and enable connections between people in our community via the giving of freshly created flower bouquets.
Our values
Kindness is at the core of the Giving Flowers initiative and its central importance in the making and maintaining of connections with others.
Connection with others, and with nature, is essential for all in our physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Sustainability and the nurturing and protection of our natural environment is vital for all our futures.
Our Story
It seems strange, in a world so full of ways to connect and communicate, that so many people within our communities feel isolated, lonely and forgotten. When several members of the Giving Flowers team had to organise residential care for older relatives, necessitating visits to several residential care homes, they often found residents cut off from their local communities and struggling to find worth and purpose. This sense of 'disconnection' left the team wondering how they could find a reason to connect with those who might welcome more contact with the world outside. Our own joy of giving home grown flowers to our family and friends, whilst wanting to increase the diversity of wildlife in our gardens, was our motivation for the Giving Flowers initiative. Through the growing of wildlife friendly flowers, and the giving of some of these flowers to those who might welcome them, we hope to make a small difference in helping to connect with those within our community struggling with the debilitating effects of loneliness and alienation.
It is in such small acts of kindness that people know they are loved.
The Giving Flowers team
How
A small group of volunteers grow, nurture, cut and collect flowers from their gardens and allotments. These are then cared for, prepared and wrapped into beautiful bouquets ready for giving.
Who
Flower bouquets are given as gifts to anyone living locally who might welcome them and a connection with a friendly person. People are welcome to contact us if they have someone in mind for such a floral gift. There is no charge. Giving Flowers is run purely on people's (and nature's) generosity with their time, goodwill and, sometimes financial donations.
Where
We operate in and around the Dorking area. We are keen to keep things as local as possible to minimise the use of transport that increases our carbon footprint.
Get in Touch
If you would like to join us growing and/or delivering flowers or just want to find out more about the Giving Flowers initiative do get in touch. Equally, if you know of someone who would appreciate some flowers do let us know.
Plants for flowers
Here are some ideas for plants for flowers and pollinators and some information when to plant and how best to care for them. All the flowers described have had a presence in our bouquets this year. We will be adding more as our own knowledge increases. We hope the list will encourage more people to sow seeds and watch the magic of nature unfold.
Flower Description When Care
Sweet pea A star of our first season for scent May to July For robust plants ideally sow in October
and colour. If flowers are picked in pots that allow their roots to grow deep
regularly it keeps giving. (we use the cardboard centre of toilet rolls)
Alchemilla Mollis The lime green, feathery flower of June to August Dead heading and a cut back mid-summer
this perennial plant offers a perfect will help to extend the flowering season
balance to the bright colours of
sweet peas in our bouquets.
Hydrangea This large shrub has grown in our June to Sept Needs little attention during the flowering
affection since we inherited several season depending on variety
in the garden where we have
recently moved. It is another
'generous flower giver' throughout
the season and adds great
structure to our bouquets.
Cosmos Another generous provider of June to Nov With an early sowing and regular dead
bright, delicate flowers that have heading Cosmos will flower from the
become a staple of our bouquets beginning to the end of the season
Ammi majus New to us, this delicate, hardy June to Sept Multiple sowings through the season will
annual plant has beautiful, white help extend the flowering season
spidery 'umbel' flowers and has
quickly become a firm favourite
in our bouquets.
Buddleja davidii We would find it difficult to over-state June to Oct It will grow pretty much anywhere and easily
what a wonderful shrub this is. We lives up to its 'pioneering' status of quickly
have the purple variety in our garden inhabiting urban wastelands and allotment and it is a go to for
our bouquets ... and for insects and
birds too!
Dahlia So many different types and varieties Aug to Nov They need protection from the slugs when
or cultivars to chose from. Our current the leaves are in their first flush (we use
favourites are 'La Recoleta' and copper bands) and staking. They should
'Cafe au Lait Twist'. The garden, survive the winter where we are but in some
and our bouquets would be looking areas of the UK will need lifting.
significantly less colourful without them.