Conventional cut flowers, such as roses, are often contaminated with pesticides. And their energy and water consumption is often enormous. The Slowflower movement, on the other hand, relies on regional and seasonal flowers – even in winter.
How about delicate, home-grown ornamental quinces instead of roses for Valentine's Day?
Would you give your loved one a colorful chemical cocktail? Certainly not. But according to the environmental protection organization BUND, this is exactly what threatens bouquets of conventionally produced flowers – especially roses, which are most often given away on Valentine's Day on February 14th.
The German magazine Öko-Test recently found a total of 54 different pesticides in 21 rose bouquets examined. Sprays, the use of which is banned in Europe, are stuck to three quarters of the bouquets.
The workers in the flower industry there is a risk of damage to health when toxic pesticides are used – and the environment also suffers
Because in winter, most roses are flown in from countries in the Global South. There they grow under favorable climatic conditions, but according to BUND, pesticides in conventional cultivation pollute the environment and the workers in the flower industry. In addition, “flying flowers”, like cut flowers from conventionally heated greenhouses, for example in the Netherlands, have a high CO2 footprint.
So what to do? Regional and “unheated” flowers are scarce in February in the northern hemisphere – aren't they?
There are certainly possibilities, says Elke Markwort, who runs a flower shop in the city of Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia. It doesn't always have to be a red rose for Valentine's Day. “Spring flowers are also nice Valentine's greetings. For example, I bought heart-shaped casserole dishes and planted small muscari (grape hyacinths – editor's note) in them and decorated them with felt hearts from fair trade projects.”
Slowflowers: regional , seasonal and without pesticides
In her flower shop, the florist offers not only conventionally grown flowers but also so-called slowflowers, which she grows in her own flower field in the warmer months.
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Markwort, along with other florists and flower gardeners, is one of the supporting members of the German Slowflower movement. People who grow and sell flowers themselves have come together in the association, and hobby gardeners and event florists are also there. The motto: sustainable cut flowers from the region, free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
“When it comes to food, many people now pay attention to where it comes from and how it was grown – unfortunately this is not so often the case with flowers,” says Jane Silburn, flower farmer and spokesperson for the Slowflower movement.
“We use sustainably sourced seeds, try to make our own compost from plant residue and don't use floral foam,” explains Silburn. Because the foam that holds the flower arrangements together and is soaked with water to keep them moist is made of foamed plastic. It is extremely porous, which is why tiny parts detach each time it is processed and watered, which then end up in the environment as microplastics.
For regional flower greetings in winter, creativity is required
< p>Even in winter, many flower arrangements could be put together according to the guidelines of the Slowflower movement, emphasizes Silburn. In addition to early blossoms from flower bulbs, in some places there are already the first tulips that came from unheated but sunlit greenhouses, as well as branches of fruit trees that are beginning to bloom in warm apartments.
What nature has to offer in the cold season: a bouquet of Christmas roses, hazelnut blossoms, sprigs of rosemary and gnarled fruit tree branches
“Exciting workpieces are created in winter in particular, when you work with gnarled branches, for example – there is a lot of texture, structure and much that is beautiful in addition to the classic blossom and goes with winter and the soon-to-be-come spring.”
< h2>Regional and durable: dried flowers are trendy
Another way to add color to the vase in winter: bouquets of dried flowers. According to Jane Silburn, they are all the rage right now. The flowers are harvested in the summer, dried gently to preserve as much color as possible, and then stored for the winter – all without the stabilizing chemicals commonly used with conventional dried flowers.
“Great dried flowers are, for example, immortelle, sea lavender, lavender. But hydrangeas also dry beautifully.” Seed heads, such as poppies, are also suitable, as are grasses and leafy plants.
Makes roses creative competition: a regional winter bouquet made of dry seed heads, grasses, fruit blossom branches, fresh magnolias and Christmas roses
In fact, dried flowers are very trendy at the moment, as a look at many social media platforms shows. And the bouquets are also selling well in Elke Markwort's shop in Münster. “I'm delighted that there's a demand for dried flowers again. In winter we had beautiful thalers of silver leaf, ie Lunaria, from our own cultivation, and that combined with our own eucalyptus and branches from our field.”
Where can you find Slowflowers?
The organization “Flowers from the Farm” was founded in Great Britain ten years ago and now has more than 1000 members. There are also Slowflower movements in the USA and Italy. The Slowflower Association in the German-speaking area currently has a little over 200 members – in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland. More than three quarters of them work alone or in pairs, and more than half run the sustainable flower business as a sideline.
Not just a paradise for insects and other animals: a field of flowers cultivated according to the guidelines of the Slowflower movement in summer
That's why slowflowers are far from being found in every flower shop. Many growers also sold their products through online stores, such as Jane Silburn. One is aware that the transport of the online delivery also releases emissions – nevertheless: “We think it's the lesser evil to send sustainable flowers than to tell people: If you don't If you live near a slowflower field, you have to buy conventional flowers.”
The packaging is as plastic-free as possible. Genetically modified plants are also taboo when moving.
But: Slowflower does not equal organic. There are also organic farms in the movement, says Silburn. But there is no Slowflower certificate, which, like the organic seal, is awarded after an inspection by independent inspection bodies. The association relies on voluntary compliance with the guidelines.
Slowflowers: class instead of mass
Compared to flowers that are sold in bulk in the supermarkets, slowflowers are more expensive. Because there is a lot of manual work involved: from the cultivation, through the care of the flower fields, to the harvest, explains Silburn. “A flower is of course a luxury product – and it should be. Flowers should be valued more and not seen as a cheap mass product.” Because the consequences of this are well known.
Instead of pure flower mass, the interplay of form, structure and ( here delicate) colors enchant
Despite the higher prices, the demand for the regionally and sustainably grown flowers is good, says flower shop owner Markwort. In the shop she put little notes on her Slowflowers. “We always point them out because we think they're really great ourselves.” Most of the people who come into her shop are enthusiastic about the local flowers, she reports. “And that's why they often come back – we now have a real little Slowflower fan base.”