Trends come and go, and what is deemed ‘current’ will invariably influence the way people create the aesthetic for their wedding day. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, native flower growers are currently struggling to keep up with demand, as the population favours wildflowers for both wedding flowers and for their homes.
It is a far cry from five years ago, when many of these growers were struggling to just keep afloat. Many native flower businesses relied heavily on the sale of dried native bunches, but as China began to produce artificial flowers (a.k.a silk flowers) the interest in dried flowers, well, basically dried up.
Australian natives were given centre stage at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, with all bouquets designed to have a strong Australiana feel, featuring some of our beautiful flora. At that time, Australian native production was at its peak. Then, after a tough drought, and a period where the Australian dollar was weak and unstable, production fell dramatically and never quite recovered. The few growers who were left were expected to pick up the slack, which was near impossible.
The current trends for fresh flowers includes a clear market for Australian native flowers, and so called ‘wildflowers’. They provide an interesting variety of textures and colours to work with, and a mixture of often long lasting, large focal blooms and small filler flowers. Florist with Flowers offers a variety of fresh flower arrangements available for Sydney delivery such as our native box arrangement and native bouquet, or alternatively you can speak to one of our wonderfully creative staff about what you can put together yourself.
Australian’s have become accustomed to a huge influx of imported fresh flower products, altered and dyed to be any and every colour in the rainbow….or the entire rainbow in some cases! In their pursuit to create something unique, the result has actually become somewhat predictable. Fresh native flower growers have focussed their energies on growing varieties of flowers that no-one else grows, creating their own niche markets. They have reinvented themselves into boutique businesses with products of real value and quality.
Brides come into floral meetings using descriptive words such as; natural, rustic, raw, quaint, earthy, organic, relaxed, textured…. and native blooms can fulfil their design brief with ease. With the increase in interest in native flora, there is consequently an increase in pressure to produce, and the ABC reports that our suppliers are not keeping up.
Craig Scott, from East Coast Wildflowers, is one such grower. He says that many of the industry head straight to his stall at The Sydney Flower Markets at opening time to see what fresh, new and interesting material he has on offer. He has increased production over the years and has a wide variety of stock on offer at any one time. As florists it is incredibly important to stay inspired and interested. Whether the piece has an unusual texture, or spectacular colour, or has an awesome line; these small differences in material can be the difference between creating something average or awesome.
Craig Scott has also run workshops interstate, and found there is a demand for his product there too. Unfortunately he is unable to get it there, but perhaps this just shows there is a gap in the market, and therefore an opportunity for someone else.
I have always been a fan of various Natives….how about you?
Fwf x
