Our story
Written both collectively and individually by our members, the story of Flowers from the Farm is one that keeps on growing!
A blossoming movement
In 2011, Gill Hodgson sat at her Yorkshire kitchen table and searched online for a membership association to help grow her fledgling flower farming business. Finding that such a organisation didn’t yet exist, she decided to set up Flowers from the Farm there and then.
From its humble beginnings, Flowers from the Farm has blossomed to become the voice of nearly 1000 local, seasonal flower farmers nationwide. The UK flower farming movement has grown in reach and confidence every year, winning awards at renowned flower shows including Gold at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2018, partnering with the Royal Horticultural Society at Hampton Court and with London’s Strawberry Hill House to produce the UK’s most sustainable flower festival and providing flowers for the King’s coronation in 2023.
Shaping flower farming for the future
Fourteen years later, FftF continues to build on that legacy and is now proud to be the UK trade association promoting a financially and environmentally sustainable British Cut Flower industry by educating and empowering our flower growers and their customers. Our founder, Gill Hodgson was awarded an MBE for Services to Floristry in the King’s New Year Honours List 2025.
Championing a Sustainable Future for British Floriculture
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Growing more high quality flowers – expanding production capacity and professionalism so our members can supply more flowers
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Selling more high quality flowers – increasing market demand and sales channels so our members can sell more flowers
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Sustaining the movement – ensuring environmental, financial, and social resilience for members and the organisation so we as an organisation remain resilient
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2026–27: Build foundations – staff recruitment, brand refresh, policy adoption, pilot projects, improved data collection (with increased member participation), enable change via new website
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2027–28: Scale successful pilots, formalise data collection, enhance marketing.
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2028–29: Launch standards, expand research, diversify income streams.
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2029–30: Publish impact reports, secure partnerships, prepare next decade roadmap.
Uphold high standards of transparency and accountability to our members and ensure that FFTF is run professionally, efficiently, and effectively.
Foster a sense of community, working together to achieve our mutual aims and objectives.Support all members whether experienced or new entrant.
Take an open, consultative, and collaborative approach with our stakeholders, ensuring the delivery of equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives across the membership.
Secure a long term, sustainable and successful future for British cut flowers through promotion, professionalism, routes to market, and representation at policy level.
Provide continued professional development (CPD), training and education for members.
Educate the wider public to increase awareness and understanding of the cut flower industry.
Develop quality standards for the British cut flower industry.
Establish guidelines which ensure that our best quality product reaches the public.
Develop sustainability and ethics standards for the cut flower industry, working in partnership with other institutions, member bodies and organisations