Ashlee Jane had a career in fashion when a Christmas wreath-making class inspired her move into floristry and the launch of her business, The Suffolk Nest. Now the 36-year-old mum-of-two has moved into the world of faux flowers, persuaded by their quality and value.
From the wreath on your front door, to a garland on your fireplace, the right Christmas flowers set the tone for your home in such an elegant way. But, as a busy mum-of-two, I also know that time is at a premium at this time of year, and the last thing you really want to be thinking about is, “Oh, I better go and forage some foliage out of my nan’s garden to make this special centrepiece.”
When I started my business, The Suffolk Nest, I was making arrangements and supplying them to people across the country. I’m self-taught as a florist, and this turn in my career was as much a surprise to me as anyone else, but people on social media liked my designs and the business had been going well for a number of years. One day though, around two years ago, I was shopping for flowers, when I came across the most beautiful eucalyptus I had ever seen. It was vivid green, with a gorgeous texture – but on closer inspection I realised it was fake. I am a fussy person, and I must have handled thousands of stems of eucalyptus over the years, but these almost fooled me, and I couldn’t believe the quality. I bought every stem they had in store that day, and that started my obsession with faux flowers.
Now, I have pivoted my entire business. Gone are the days of stiff fabric and plastic stems – the technology now is incredible. We were out with some of our suppliers last month, and they are literally hand-painting detailing onto them. They’re hand-curling petals.
Christmas is a time for being together (Photo: The Suffolk Nest)I am convinced they are now the best choice for Christmas. I love real flowers, but with faux you can simply take it from the box and hang it. There’s no arranging, no wilting, no watering, no disposing of them at the end. I believe in simplicity at Christmas, and this must be the most impact for the least amount of effort. You don’t have to be green-fingered to have a blooming home, and you don’t have to be super creative to have a beautiful one.
They are also reusable, which is a massive selling point. They look beautiful year after year, and if you look after them, they could last you decades. Also, if you buy quite a plain garland or wreath you can update it whenever you want, whether that is adding some sparkle, some ornaments or some berries in different colours. I would recommend investing in one key faux arrangement that you know you will love forever, and then you can find some berries or foliage if you want to change it up. The options are limitless.
Faux flowers can look truly authentic (Photo: The Suffolk Nest)This also brings the carbon footprint down. It might feel counterintuitive, buying a plastic arrangement rather than a real one, but real flowers have a huge carbon footprint, from the chemicals that go on them, to the fact that they are perishable and the distance they’re often shipped in large, cooled containers. They have a natural life cycle, which both makes them precious and makes them more wasteful. High-quality faux flowers are not designed to be used once and end up in landfill. Once made, their carbon footprint is over, whereas replacing real flowers just keeps producing more and more.
This is also what makes them great value. Of course, you can get a £10 bunch of flowers from the supermarket, and a faux bouquet that looks the same will cost you more, but while that fresh bunch might last a week, you can use these ones forever. My mum always taught me that it was quantity over quality, and I think the fact that so many of us are seeing our belts being tightened means we want to spend our money wisely.
Moving into faux flowers was a big decision. I still love fresh flowers but I think both have a place in our homes, and as I discovered more artisan producers making stunning faux options, I just found it incredibly exciting. Every time I restock the website with new flowers they sell out in minutes – proof of how popular they are.”
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