We talk eco-friendly wedding flowers with Yorkshire's Nodding Violets

How do you ensure your wedding flowers are as eco-friendly as possible? We ask Yorkshire florist Nodding Violets...

British flowers have around 10% of the carbon footprint of imported flowers. At Nodding Violets, I handpick all of our flowers so there's no packaging, no plastic used and all the blooms are grown without pesticides five minutes from my front door. We also have beehives next to the cutting patch, with bees busily working the nectar-filled blooms and butterflies in abundance.

The plot is fed with manure from my neighbour's stables and my homemade compost. The key to our healthy soil is being pesticide-free. I'm sure any British grower will follow a similar regime. It makes sense from an environmental point of view, and also from a logistical point of view, to keep everything local.

The result is our beautiful old-fashioned, gloriously scented blooms. For your big day, I'd check out small, local growers or ask your florist to buy in British flowers. As well as being eco-friendly, you'll enjoy timeless, wonderfully scented meadow-style florals.

Meryl Clarke | Nodding Violets | www.noddingviolets.co.uk