Where Do Florist Get Their Stock

[phleb]

I am doing valentines hampers and need some flowers, so need to know where to get the cheap. thanks

[Mamyalynne]

For fresh flowers they likely go to a market at the crack of dawn or have a daily delivery.

For other florist accessories there are many online outlets.

[gingejbee]

A florist that I often walk past in the morning gets them delivered in a huge refrigerated lorry....direct from Holland. Guess that's out of the question...!

[furrypusscat]

Direct from Nurseries if you know any local ones.

[Hopkirk]

I know some of them arrive on freighter aircraft from Kenya and Colombia into Stansted Airport, and get driven off in refrigerated articulated lorries.

I'm not sure where they go from there.

[pastafreak]

Would this be of any use? In the copy it states there is no minimum order requirement...even just a boquet is fine.
http://www.dutchflowerauctiondirect.com/products/flowers

[-SharonA-]

In London, try Columbia Road flower market, E2.

[retrocop]

//gingejbee
A florist that I often walk past in the morning gets them delivered in a huge refrigerated lorry....direct from Holland. Guess that's out of the question...!//


Lol. Reminds me of a large florist in my area. Every week a large lorry with trailer pulled up outside the premises and unload trays of flowers and plants.
Came over from Holland weekly. I used to watch it every week from the pub I frequent opposite.Police raided said shop and pulled out bags of marijuana one day in evidence bags. My younger son told me,"Course Dad. My mate always gets his stash from there" Funny. I was drinking and chatting with Father and son enterprise in the pub only yesterday. :-)

[EDDIE51]

Our local florist is the same as gingebee,a lorry direct from Holland.
I used to work for a florist delivering flowers, I know there is a huge mark up.
Flowers they buy for £10 will make a display that sells for at least £50
Go to a proper florist not a supermarket and ask how much they would charge you for a bulk order.
How many are you after by the way a few dozen, 200, more ?

[Buenchico]

As Gingejbee indicates, many florists get their stock as direct imports. This lorry is a regular site outside a florist's shop in Stowmarket (where it blocks all of the town centre traffic!):
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3524/3290834649_7f45807f60_b.jpg

Others travel to New Covent Garden or Columbia Road markets at ungodly hours:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/pippa-middleton/10335879/Pippa-Middleton-its-bliss-to-be-up-early-for-a-flower-market.html

Some florists will buy from local nurseries (but that often restricts the range of products available) or order online:
https://www.flowersbyclowance.co.uk/wholesale/

Remember that the high prices in florist's shop aren't simply because of their own mark-ups though. The growers and wholesalers know that their products can command premium prices in early February and the florists are often simply passing the higher prices on. So your flowers will expensive, wherever you buy them from, at that time of year.

[EDDIE51]

Prices always rise for Valentines day as well!