The Grower interview - Carol Siddorn of Carol’s Garden Cheshire

Who are you, and where do you grow?

I’m Carol Siddorn, of Carol’s Garden, in the South West corner of Cheshire close to Wales and Shropshire. We grow on 2 acres of light, sandy, acidic land, which we rent along with the house on site. We have maybe 1/3 shrubs and trees, 1/3 perennials and 1/3 annuals and polytunnels.

What is your season?

Because of our light soil and polytunnels, we can start selling, mainly to florists, in mid March, through to beginning of November (depending a bit on frosts). I do a few sales outside of this season, mainly for regular florists, but I don’t now do Christmas wreaths, workshops or winter weddings.

Who’s your ideal customer?

My ideal customer is a regular wholesale wedding and event florist. Someone who loves locally grown flowers, is excited by the variety we can grow, and who trusts me to put their orders together to their colour and design brief. They will be confident, creative designers, who love to work with what they get rather than from a spreadsheet. 

What changes have you seen in the last 6 years (since the British flowers book was published) in what florists are buying.

• I’m seeing much more colour - from soft pastels in peach, pink, lemon and lilac, right through to brights including cerise, orange and yellow. 

• Almost all the florists who buy from me are using exclusively foam-free mechanics, often looking for longer foliage for broken arches. 

Carol can be found At Carol’s Garden