Valentine’s Day is sinfully wasteful – next time, buy bread
As we survey the aftermath of Valentine’s Day – the already-wilting flowers, the extravagantly-boxed chocolates, the pithy cards bought from some trendy online retailer – it’s not difficult to spot the wastefulness associated with the most romantic day of the year.
London’s first zero-waste floral bakery is doing its bit to reduce this mountain of dead flowers, creating floral-themed ‘bread bouquets’ to provide a more sustainable alternative gift, just in time for Mother’s Day.
Hampstead’s Focaccia Florist is offering a limited edition Bloom & Wild Mushroom Hydrangea, with all proceeds going to Plantlife: The Wild Plant Conservation Charity.
“The UK’s cut-flower industry is worth over £1bn but is epically wasteful, pesticide loaded, and air-mile heavy, with 80% of flowers imported from outside the UK,” says George White who runs the bakery with his two brothers.
You can order bread bouquets – including Red Roses and Calla lilies – for £25, with the flowers painstakingly crafted from peppers, radishes, nigella seeds and cunningly-placed parsley and rosemary sprigs.
The Focaccia Fairy is available for surprise deliveries if you wish to nominate a deserving someone – make a note for next Valentine’s Day so you can help save the planet as well as make someone’s day.