Talk: British Alstroemeria & the UK Flower Industry

Thursday 23rd April, 7.30pm

Ben Cross, from Crosslands Flower Nursery in Walberton near Arundel, will talk about his mission to challenge the UK’s dependence on imported flowers and to promote British grown Alstroemeria. More than 90% of the UK’s cut flowers are shipped in from overseas at considerable cost to the environment. They mostly arrive from the Netherlands although a surprisingly significant proportion originate in Kenya.

Ben is a fourth generation Alstroemeria grower and when his great-grandfather began in 1936 under the Land Settlement Association (LSA) there were many market gardens established. These small holdings were run as a cooperative but recruitment to the scheme ceased at the outbreak of World War II. Crosslands are one of the last larger growers left in the UK producing Alstroemeria in a full colour range all year-round, with over 50 varieties and sustainability remains the backbone of their operating model. The added bonus is the British flowers last for at least two to three weeks in a vase and are sold at half the price of supermarket ones.

At Crosslands no chemicals or plastic are used on the flowers or the packaging and therefore the carbon footprint of British grown flowers is a lot less than imported ones. Ben is also spearheading a campaign to improve labelling on flowers sold in the UK.

Ben will bring fresh bunches of his alstroemeria for sale at just £3 a bunch (CASH ONLY)