Botany – Flowers Done Naturally
Botany; “The study of the physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, classification, and economic importance of plants.”
Floristry is an incredible job. If you have a creative flair, a love of nature and the natural world, and lots of stamina for long days on your feet, it is a wonderful career choice.
For me, I came into floristry by accident. I never wanted to be a florist and (shamefully) I didn’t view it as a ‘proper job’. Luckily for me, after being taken in by a local florist over 10 years ago, having absolutely no idea what I wanted as a career but knowing it did not involve an office and a desk, I fell completely in love with this world of flowers and changing seasons.
After many years working happily away I began to change aspects of my personal life by trying to reduce the waste I created. I had developed even more of an interest in the environment, and wanted my personal choices to reflect the love that I had for it.
Eventually, my new sustainable focus turned to my work where unbelievably there was a huge amount of waste produced every single day.
The more I looked, the more there was. Mountains of plastic sleeves were taken off bunches after market trips and thrown straight in the bin. Functions and weddings produced trash cans full of floral foam destined for landfill after one day’s use. Bouquets were sent out dressed up in paper, plastic, tissue, cellophane, ribbons and stickers that would all be taken off and tossed within hours of them being received.
This is at a time when most industries are under scrutiny about how sustainable their practices are. People are waking up to environmental issues and floristry, with all of its perceived natural charm, is flying directly under the radar.
I needed the job that I loved so much to change. Big time.
After years of planning, thinking and trying to find a way to create the kind of florist I wanted, the concept of Botany began. This is a florist where bunches are not purchased in plastic. Ever. Flowers are not bleached, dyed, artificially coloured or otherwise altered beyond all recognition of their natural beauty. There are definitely no imported flowers used and only locally grown blooms that are in season are selected.
Our arrangements are beautifully presented in glass vases that can be reused, regifted or recycled at the end of their life. Being transported already in water means they arrive for your family or friends fresher and in better condition than traditional wrapped bouquets.
It’s not an original concept by any means, in fact it’s incredibly simple. Just use fresh, locally grown flowers from Victorian farms and don’t add any unnecessary packaging. Work with nature and keep it seasonal, and keep well away from single use plastics.
If you think this sort of floristry is everywhere, you would be very wrong. Botany is one of the first online floral delivery services of its kind in Melbourne, and we hope not the last. We would love you to help us change our industry for the better and be a part of making floristry the way it should be.
Natural. Sustainable. Local. Seasonal. That’s us.
Ellen Douglas