The Florist interview - Dawn Antingham of Poppies and Peonies in Horsell

Can you tell us a bit about you and your business?

I’m Dawn, and i’ve been a florist at my shop in Horsell near Woking for 9 years. We’re a small shop at the end of a parade of mixed businesses. We sell bouquets and plants to walk- in customers, for online sales and for telephone sales. We do events, - Weddings and Funerals locally in the Woking area.

Who do you buy your British flowers from? and what proportion of the flowers in your shop are British?

I buy from Claire at Plantpassion, Andy at the Chobham flower farm, and Smith and Munson. About 50-60% of our flowers are British in the main season. We would like to make it more.

Who’s your ideal customer?

One i’ve nurtured over the years, who was very entrenched with what was “expected” from the Dutch, and who now is delighted with seasonal British blooms. We have regulars who know when our deliveries from the British will be in and come looking for what’s new and interesting

What changes have you seen in the last 6 years (since the British flowers book was published) in what you are buying and what you’ve seen from growers?

More choice, a wider range of what’s available - Foliage as well as flowers, more quantity and more flowers farms. When I started nine years ago, I know nothing about British (what I could get hold of ) so now I feel it is better promoted.

What do you think you and your customers will want from British growers in the next few years?

Quality and choice, and ideally all through the year, our customers want British all the time.

Dawn can be found At Poppies and Peonies, or @poppiespeonies on Instagram