Shopping for owers

Rachel Wardley, founder of the Tallulah Rose Flower School in Bath (tallulahroseflowers. com) shares her tips for buying Christmas flowers

The best places to buy flowers

at good prices are flower markets, which offer a broad variety of blooms.

The largest flower market

is New Covent Garden Market in London. While it is a wholesale market, anyone can visit and the choice is immense. There may be a flower market local to you but check it is not trade-only.

Arrive early

to enjoy the pick of the crop, much like antiques markets. Don’t be afraid to ask for help as

stallholders tend to be happy to share their knowledge.

Most traders will sell in wraps or bundles not single stems, so be prepared to buy 20 rose stems, for example.

At Christmas, demand is high

so it’s not advisable to haggle with small, independent or

family-run businesses. The advice and service you’ll receive will far outweigh any discount. Look to Flowers from the Farm ( flowersfrom

thefarm.co.uk) to find a local flower farm. They won’t have many flowers at Christmas but they may have foliage and berries you can buy by the bucket. This can help you to save on costs as greenery from markets can be pricey.