Petals with a Purpose: Rethinking Flowers for a Greener Future

Behind the beauty of a bouquet lies a hidden story, that touches on climate change, global supply chains, biodiversity, and our everyday choices.

This special evening event, part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, invites you to step inside the colourful yet complex world of flowers and sustainability. Join Associate Professor Jill Timms (University of Surrey) and a panel of local innovators in Surrey; flower farmers, florists, composting pioneers, and community organisers, as they reveal how growing, selling, and arranging flowers can either harm or help our planet.

What to expect:

Inspiring talks from Surrey’s sustainable flower leaders, from growers championing seasonal British blooms to florists finding creative ways to cut waste.

A live demonstration with practical tips on arranging and caring for flowers in eco-friendly ways.

Hands-on advice on how churches, community groups, and individuals can make small changes with a big impact.

Plenty of time for conversation over refreshments, with opportunities to connect with local growers, arrangers, and sustainability champions.

Why join us? Flowers are part of our celebrations, our rituals, our everyday lives, and their story matters. By making mindful choices, we can all help reduce carbon footprints, protect biodiversity, and support local communities.

Dr Jill Timms, University of Surrey

Anyone interested in the future sustainability of the flower sector and of sustainable floristry practices

As above