The Billion Pound Flower Market.
I watched it - amazing, but almost nothing to do with gardening. They called it the cut flower industry and that's what it was!
The British growers simply cannot compete, but interesting that the supermarkets, that we love to hate, have actually helped them. By promoting cheap flowers we're encouraged to buy more and they push British grown too, as it is cheaper and often better for the seasonal things we want, like stocks ans sweet williams
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I can appreciate the beauty of cut flowers but I never want them in my house. I would far rather have a living plant - not ones that are in the process of dying. Too much experience of friends who buy 'rescue' cut flowers in supermarkets and then have them standing in smelly stagnant water until the petals drop off and they look so sad. Makes me shudder.
Mike, the tulip chopper only took the top couple of inches off the stems, just the flowers, to build up the bulbs to a bigger size so that they can be forced the following year. I do just the same, only I leave the petals to fall off before I dead head, leaving the stem which will continue to photosynthesize.
I thought it interesting that they get EU money, but British flower growers get none.
I'm with you on that one Ladybird4.They don't allow them in hospitals any more because they harbour bugs.
I think it was on channel 4. Anyone wanting to watch a repeat could probably find it on "All 4" the online service similar to BBC's iPlayer.
Its here if you want to watch it. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-billion-pound-flower-market
A very interesting programme. There was something similar a few months back that featured the Kenyan rose growers as well as the Dutch flower auctions. The problem with the cut flower industry is the air freight to get them to Europe so I suppose we should be supporting British growers as much as possible.
Massive, and the money that goes through that place is mind blowing. Its a far cry from a posy of wild flowers.