Shane Connolly, the florist renowned for creating the arrangements at the King and Queen’s wedding, has called for a ban on floral foam due to its environmental damage. As a key figure in the Sustainable Church Flowers (SCF) movement, Connolly encourages churches, organizations, and the public to reconsider their floral choices, emphasizing sustainability and ethical sourcing.
The SCF campaign, which has gathered significant support from churches, parishes, chaplaincies, and cathedrals, is pressing the Church of England’s Synod to adopt principles that include ending the use of floral foam. This material is problematic because it contains microplastics and is not recyclable, contributing to pollution.
Flowers, especially when grown on a large scale, carry a considerable environmental footprint. Intensive water use, pesticide application, and significant carbon emissions are common challenges. Out-of-season flowers often come from heated greenhouses or developing countries where labor conditions may be poor and wages low. Additionally, transporting blooms over long distances—often refrigerated or packaged in plastic—adds to their environmental cost.
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As part of the initiative, parish councils are encouraging people to donate flowers from their gardens, opt for locally grown and seasonal varieties, and avoid single-use floral foam alternatives by using water for bouquets instead. Churches are also promoting composting, reusing flowers from services, and donating them to care homes and hospitals to reduce waste.
Connolly explained, “From a faith perspective, the beauty of creation should be respected, not harmed by practices that increase carbon footprints and microplastic pollution.” His message aims to reach beyond religious communities, informing the wider public about the ecological impact of flower choices.
He advises choosing locally sourced, seasonal flowers as the best approach. “Seasonal flowers naturally have a smaller environmental footprint because they don’t require intensive cultivation methods,” he said. Highlighting Valentine’s Day roses, which often come from heated greenhouses or distant suppliers, Connolly urges greater awareness and more creative, sustainable floral designs in the industry.
Jill Timms, associate professor at the University of Surrey and co-lead of the Sustainable Flowers Research Project, supports this push for sustainability. “Flowers are often given without thought to their origin or the conditions under which they were grown,” she said. Timms believes churches could be leaders in advocating for responsible floral practices, raising public awareness and driving industry change.
Floral foam first came under scrutiny in 2020 when the Royal Horticultural Society banned its use at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2021. The SCF movement began in 2019 in Harpley, Worcestershire, as a grassroots effort by a local parish council determined to promote sustainable flower use. Since then, it has gained momentum with many churches adopting its principles.
Timms praised the movement’s growth: “It started small but rapidly expanded as more parishes saw the importance of making environmentally conscious choices.”