Notes
London's Flower Markets — A Considered Guide
London has three flower markets worth knowing about, and they serve almost entirely different purposes. Knowing which one you actually want saves a wasted trip. Columbia Road — for atmosphere and a Sunday out Sundays only, 8am to around 3pm, in Bethnal Green. This is the one most people mean when they say "the flower market" — a single Victorian street lined with stalls selling bedding plants, bulbs and cut flowers, alongside roughly 60 independent shops. It's won Britain's Best Small Outdoor Market two years running, and it's genuinely crowded by mid-morning. Go early, before 9am, for full stock and a street you can actually walk down. Go late, from around 2pm, if a bargain matters more than selection — traders drop prices hard in the last hour rather than pack unsold stock away. What you're buying here is the flower itself, not a considered arrangement of it — good for a loose bunch on your own kitchen table, less suited to anything that needs to travel or arrive on a specific day. Closer to how our hand-tied pieces are built than a structured design. New Covent Garden — for serious volume and trade prices Nine Elms, Monday to Saturday, 4am to 10am. This is the market Saints and most other London florists actually buy from — roughly 75% of the city's florists source stock here. It's wholesale by nature but open to the public on foot at no entry fee (£5 if you're driving in), and there's no minimum spend requirement, though prices and quantities are pitched at trade buyers rather than someone wanting a single bunch. Worth it if you're planning an event, a wedding, or need genuine bulk at a fraction of retail cost. Not worth it for a single birthday bouquet — the effort-to-reward ratio only makes sense at volume, and 4am is a real commitment for one arrangement. New Spitalfields — for bulk, without the crowds Leyton, weekdays, midnight to 9am. The UK's highest-turnover horticultural market by volume, and the least known to the general public of the three — mostly trade, mostly industrial in feel, with the same bulk-buying logic as New Covent Garden but further east and less visited. Worth knowing exists if you're east London-based and doing your own large-scale buying, otherwise not a market that adds much over the other two for most people. Which one is actually for you For a considered gift or an occasion that needs to arrive somewhere specific, none of these three is really the answer — that's what a florist is for, and it's the gap The Florist Choice is built to fill: whatever's genuinely at its best that week, arranged and delivered rather than carried home on the Overground. For a Sunday out with flowers as the excuse, Columbia Road. For genuine bulk at trade prices and you're willing to get up early, New Covent Garden. Shop all arrangements Same-day delivery across London for orders placed by 4pm. Next-day nationwide for orders by 5pm.
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How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer
Most arrangements die early for the same handful of preventable reasons, not from natural expiry. A few habits make more difference than any single product. Cut the stems properly, and keep doing it A cut flower can only drink through the fresh end of its stem — the moment it's cut, the exposed cells start to seal themselves within hours, which is why flowers left untrimmed for days drink progressively less. Recut an inch off each stem every two to three days, at an angle, using a sharp blade rather than scissors, which crush the stem and close off more of the intake surface than a clean cut does. Change the water more often than feels necessary Bacteria in the water is the single biggest cause of early wilting — not age, not temperature, bacteria. It builds in the vase, travels up the stem, and blocks the flower's ability to take up water long before the petals show it. Change the water every two days, and rinse the vase properly rather than just topping it up. Strip anything below the waterline Leaves and foliage sitting in water rot quickly and accelerate bacterial growth far more than the flower itself does. Strip anything that would sit below the water line before placing stems in the vase — a five-second step most people skip. Keep them cool and out of direct light Heat accelerates the flower's metabolism, which shortens its life. Direct sunlight, radiators, and the top of a fridge or television all do the same thing. A cool spot out of direct sun adds days, not hours, particularly for anything with a naturally shorter vase life. Do flower food, aspirin, sugar and bleach actually work? Flower food works, and it's worth using every time — it combines an acidifier (lowers the water's pH to help uptake), sugar (feeds the flower, since it's cut off from the plant's own energy source), and a biocide (controls bacteria). It's the only one of these that addresses all three problems at once. The kitchen-cupboard alternatives each address one part of the problem, not all three. Aspirin lowers pH slightly but does nothing for bacteria. Sugar feeds the flower but actively encourages bacterial growth if used alone, which can make things worse rather than better. A drop of bleach controls bacteria but does nothing for feeding or pH. None of them is wrong, exactly — they're each solving a third of a problem that proper flower food solves in one. Reviving flowers that have already started to droop Recut the stems underwater — cutting while submerged stops air re-entering the stem, which is the main reason a recut alone sometimes doesn't help. Give them a few hours in fresh water somewhere cool before deciding whether they've genuinely reached the end or just needed the reset. Every Saints order arrives with our own care guide, and The Florist Choice is built from whatever's genuinely at its peak in season — flowers that are fresher to begin with need less rescuing later. Shop all arrangements Same-day delivery across London for orders placed by 4pm. Next-day nationwide for orders by 5pm.
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What Do Flowers Mean? A Guide to Flower Symbolism
Most people choose flowers by colour or by what looks good in the photo. Symbolism is the layer underneath that — worth knowing even if it's not the deciding factor. Rose The most overloaded flower in the language of flowers, and the most colour-dependent. Red means romantic love, full stop — there's no ambiguity to hide behind. Yellow has shifted over the past century from jealousy to friendship, which is the meaning that's stuck. White carries purity and new beginnings, making it the default for weddings and sympathy alike. Peach and coral sit in between — appreciation and gratitude rather than romance. The Valentine and Rue are both built around red — the former in premium reflexed roses, the latter deeper and more sculptural. Tulip Tulips signify perfect, declared love — historically a more confident statement than a rose, since the flower itself was once worth more than gold during Dutch tulip mania. Colour still matters: red for love, purple for royalty, yellow for cheerful thoughts rather than the jealousy it once implied. Peony Peonies carry romance, prosperity and good fortune — in Chinese culture specifically, the flower of riches and honour. Their meaning is less colour-dependent than a rose's; it's the abundance of the bloom itself, not the shade, that carries the sentiment. A good choice when the gesture is meant to feel generous rather than pointed. Anthurium Structural, glossy and long-lasting, anthurium signifies hospitality and abundance — which is part of why it turns up so often in housewarming and new-beginning arrangements. Less freighted with romantic meaning than most flowers on this list, which makes it a safer choice for a colleague or client. Alba is our green arrangement built around exactly this register — structural rather than sentimental. Ranunculus Ranunculus means radiant charm — a flower whose meaning matches its appearance almost too neatly, with its dozens of tightly layered petals. It's associated with attraction and being dazzled by someone, which makes it a considered choice for early-stage romance rather than a long marriage. Chrysanthemum Loyalty, friendship and joy in most Western symbolism — though worth knowing this shifts in parts of continental Europe, where chrysanthemums are specifically funeral flowers. Colour changes the meaning further: red for love, white for innocence, yellow for slighted affection. Hydrangea Hydrangea carries a genuinely double meaning — gratitude and heartfelt emotion on one reading, boastfulness or vanity on an older one, tied to the fact that the plant produces abundant blooms but comparatively little seed. In practice, the positive meaning is what's understood today. Orchid Orchids signify strength, luxury and refined beauty — historically expensive and rare, which is baked into the symbolism. A considered choice when the message is respect or admiration rather than romantic love specifically. Using this when you're choosing Symbolism is a tiebreaker, not a starting point. Choose for the person and the occasion first — their palette, their space, what actually suits them — and let the meaning confirm the choice rather than dictate it. The Florist Choice is built around what's genuinely in season, which is usually a better foundation than working backwards from a symbolic flower that may not be available or may not suit the recipient at all. Shop all arrangements Same-day delivery across London for orders placed by 4pm. Next-day nationwide for orders by 5pm.
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Flowers for a New Home — What to Send and What to Choose
Spring is when most people move. And flowers are one of the better gifts for a new home — they're immediate, they make an empty space feel occupied, and unlike most housewarming gifts they don't require the recipient to find somewhere to put them permanently. The question is what to send. If you're sending to someone else Avoid anything that requires a vase unless you're including one. An arrangement that arrives needing a container is an arrangement that might end up in a jug on the floor while the recipient unpacks. Either choose something that comes in its own vessel, or pair an arrangement with a considered vase that they'll keep. Neutral and green palettes work in any space — they don't clash with paint colours the recipient has just chosen or furniture that hasn't been arranged yet. Alba is our green arrangement built for exactly this — structural rather than seasonal-specific, which suits a space nobody's finished decorating yet. Shop neutral for more options in the same register. Avoid anything too fragrant if you don't know the space well. A heavily scented arrangement in a small flat with no windows open yet is a lot. White or pale arrangements with clean, light stems are the safer choice for new homes. The Florist Choice is a good option here — seasonal, considered, and built around what's genuinely at its best at the time of ordering rather than a fixed design that may or may not suit the space. If you're choosing for your own home The first flowers in a new home are worth spending a little more on. Not because of symbolism, but because a considered arrangement in an empty room changes how the space feels before the furniture has been arranged and the pictures hung. Choose something with scale — a medium or large arrangement fills a room in a way that a small one doesn't. Give it a surface of its own rather than placing it where there happens to be space. Let it be the first thing you look at deliberately. A vase alongside is worth considering — something you'll use long after this arrangement is gone. Saints' ceramic and glass edit is chosen to work with the arrangements and to stay in the room indefinitely. On timing Same-day delivery across London for orders placed by 4pm, Monday to Saturday. Next-day nationwide for orders placed by 5pm Monday to Friday. If you've just been given keys and want flowers in the space that evening — that's exactly what 4pm is for. Shop house warming flowers · Shop all arrangements
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How to Style Flowers at Home — A Room by Room Guide
Most people put flowers where there's space for them. The result is a vase on a surface, somewhere near the middle of whatever room they're in. It works. But there's a more considered approach — one that treats the arrangement as part of the room rather than an addition to it. The entrance hall The first thing you see when you walk in, and the last when you leave. A single stem in a narrow vase, or a small arrangement with height — something architectural rather than full. Alliums, single tulips, or a sculptural Florist Choice at the smaller end. The entrance doesn't need volume. It needs intention. The kitchen The most-used room in most homes, and the one where flowers are most often placed without much thought. Kitchens are warm and full of ethylene-producing fruit — both of which shorten vase life. Keep arrangements away from the fruit bowl and away from direct heat. A hand-tied bouquet in a low ceramic vase works better here than something tall and formal. Something that can be glanced at while making coffee rather than looked at deliberately. The living room The room with the most space, and the one where flowers can do the most work. Scale matters here — small arrangements can disappear in a large room. Medium or large is usually right. Choose something that relates to the palette of the room rather than contrasting with it: a neutral arrangement in a considered interior, something bolder in a room that can take it. Pair the arrangement with a vase that earns its place when the flowers are gone. A good ceramic or glass vase is an object in its own right — it shouldn't disappear when the stems are replaced. The bedroom Quieter than the living room. Smaller arrangements, softer palettes. White, blush pink or pale green. Fragrant stems work well here — a small sweet pea arrangement or roses in bud. Avoid anything with heavy pollen near where you sleep. The desk or workspace A single stem in a small vase is enough. Something that catches light — yellow or orange in winter, something looser and more seasonal in spring. The function is the same as a good lamp: it changes the quality of the space without demanding attention. A few principles that apply everywhere Fresh water every two days extends vase life more than anything else. Trim the stems at an angle each time. Keep arrangements out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. And buy what's genuinely in season — a flower at its peak needs less effort to look considered. Shop all arrangements · Shop vases
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The April Birth Flower — Sweet Pea and Daisy
April has two birth flowers: the sweet pea and the daisy. They couldn't be more different in character, which makes them an interesting pair. Sweet pea Available for a short window — late April into early June — and intensely fragrant. One of the few cut flowers whose scent genuinely fills a room. Sweet peas are delicate, come in soft pinks, lilacs, whites and bicolours, and they disappear quickly. That brevity is part of what makes them worth paying attention to when they arrive. In the language of flowers, sweet peas have traditionally signified blissful pleasure and departure — a goodbye as much as a greeting. For a birthday, the sentiment is less important than the experience: a room that smells unmistakably of late spring is its own gift. Sweet peas aren't always available — they're genuinely seasonal, arriving in the market in late April and gone by June. When they're in, we work with them. The Florist Choice arrangement is the one most likely to feature them when they're at their best. Daisy The daisy is the more structural of the two — clear white petals, yellow centre, instantly recognisable. In arrangements it works as a counterpoint: lightening a richer palette, adding movement to something more formal. Daisies have long been associated with cheerfulness and innocence — which makes them a natural fit for birthdays that call for something uncomplicated and genuinely bright. Not every birthday requires a statement. Some just need something that makes the recipient smile. For an April birthday The best approach is to choose for the person rather than the birth month — a named arrangement that fits their palette and their space rather than a bunch assembled around a symbolic flower. That said, if sweet peas are available when you're ordering, they're worth choosing. There aren't many flowers that announce themselves quite so clearly as seasonal. Shop birthday flowers Same-day delivery across London for orders placed by 4pm. Next-day nationwide for orders by 5pm.
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What Flowers Are Good for Hayfever Sufferers?
Hayfever starts in earnest in April. For most people that means antihistamines and closed windows. For flower lovers it raises a more specific question: can you still have flowers in the house? The answer is yes — with some thought about which stems to avoid and which to choose instead. Why some flowers are worse than others The culprit is airborne pollen. Flowers that rely on wind for pollination release large quantities of fine pollen into the air — this is what triggers symptoms. Flowers that rely on insects for pollination have heavier, stickier pollen that doesn't become airborne in the same way. The distinction matters more than most people realise. Stems to avoid Lilies are the main one. Their large, exposed stamens release pollen freely and it gets everywhere — on surfaces, on clothing, on pets. If you have hayfever or are sending flowers to someone who does, avoid lilies entirely. Removing the stamens as soon as the flower opens helps but doesn't eliminate the risk. Chamomile, sunflowers and chrysanthemums belong to the same plant family as many hayfever-triggering weeds and grasses, and can cause reactions in sensitised individuals. Gypsophila — baby's breath — is another one that affects some people despite its delicate appearance. What to choose instead Roses are one of the safest cut flowers for hayfever sufferers. Their pollen is heavy and insect-distributed — it doesn't become airborne. The same is true of most of what Saints works with: ranunculus, tulips, peonies, lisianthus, anthurium, anemones and the majority of seasonal foliage. These are insect-pollinated stems with contained pollen that stay in the vase rather than in the air. Orchids are among the least allergenic flowers available. Hydrangeas are generally safe. Carnations and alstroemeria are both low-risk. Practical considerations Fresh water every two days matters more for hayfever households than most — stagnant water encourages mould, which can trigger its own reactions. Keep arrangements away from air-conditioning, vents and fans which can disturb and circulate any pollen that is present. A considered hand-tied arrangement in a closed vase gives you more control over the environment than a loose, open arrangement. Most Saints arrangements are built around insect-pollinated seasonal stems. If you're ordering for someone with hayfever, the safest collections to choose from are neutral, white and green — understated palettes that lean on foliage, anthurium and non-allergenic blooms. Laurent is our clean white option built around exactly this kind of structural, foliage-forward design, and Alba covers the green end of the same register. Shop hayfever-friendly arrangements
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The Saints gift guide
Flowers are easy to get wrong. A generic bunch chosen in thirty seconds communicates exactly that. The right arrangement — chosen with a little thought — lands differently. This guide is for those who want to get it right. By occasion BirthdayThe occasion that gets the most generic flowers. Do the opposite. Choose something with character — a named arrangement in their palette, or something seasonal they wouldn't choose for themselves. Shop birthday flowers AnniversaryRestraint over abundance. One considered arrangement says more than a dozen red roses. Choose something that reflects the relationship, not the occasion. Shop anniversary flowers New babySoft in colour, generous in spirit. Whites, blush pinks, pale greens. Arrangements that feel like the moment rather than announcing it. Shop new baby flowers SympathyQuieter than you think. Pale, restrained, seasonal. Not a statement — a presence. Shop sympathy flowers Thank youSomething that feels considered rather than obligatory. A named arrangement in their colours, delivered the same day if you've left it late. Shop thank you flowers Just becauseArguably the most considered gift of all. No occasion required. Shop all flowers By season SpringTulips, ranunculus, narcissi, sweet peas. Light, expressive, full of movement. The best season for flowers that feel genuinely alive. SummerDahlias, peonies, sweet peas, hydrangeas. Generous, full-blown, worth every penny. Order ahead for peonies — they go quickly. AutumnChrysanthemums, dahlias, berries, amaranthus. Warm, tonal, rich. The season Saints arrangements look their most considered. WinterAnemones, hellebores, paperwhites, evergreen foliage. Quieter, more architectural. The season for sending something people wouldn't expect. See what's in season now By the person For someone with a considered homeChoose structurally. Something that works with the space rather than against it. Neutral, green or white palettes. Arrangements with presence but not noise. Shop neutral · Shop green · Shop white For someone who appreciates designGo expressive. A named arrangement with a point of view. Something that earns its place in the room. Shop Signature Classics For someone difficult to buy forA gift card. It lets them choose exactly what they want, when they want it. Gift cards For a colleague or clientKeep it considered and avoid anything too personal. Neutral or green arrangements work in any space. Shop all flowers Not sure where to start?Browse the full collection or visit our FAQs for guidance on sizing, delivery and what to expect. Same-day London delivery for orders placed by 4pm. Next-day nationwide for orders by 5pm. Shop all arrangements
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Spring Flowers in Season Right Now
Something shifts in late February. Not dramatically — London doesn't do dramatic — but perceptibly. The light changes. The market deliveries start arriving with stems that weren't there a month ago. And the arrangements we make begin to look different. Spring is the season that justifies the whole idea of seasonal floristry. Not because the flowers are the most showy — summer takes that — but because after several months of anemones, hellebores and architectural foliage, the arrival of ranunculus and alliums and tulips in full colour feels like something worth paying proper attention to. Here is what's genuinely in season right now, and what we're working with at Saints. Tulips The most searched spring flower in the UK, and for good reason. Tulips are at their peak from late February through April, and the variety available during that window is remarkable — parrot tulips with their fringed, almost abstract petals; double tulips that sit like peonies in the vase; single varieties in every tone from near-black through to the cleanest white. They continue to grow after cutting, which means an arrangement evolves over the week it's in the vase. Keep them in cool, shallow water and let them do what they do. Our Florist Choice arrangement leans into whatever is exceptional at the time of ordering — in spring, tulips almost always feature. Ranunculus The standout stem of the season. Layered, almost sculptural in construction, ranunculus come in an extraordinary range — palest blush through coral, apricot, deep rose and rich burgundy. They open slowly over five to seven days, revealing more layers as they go. In the Faerie arrangement, you'll find reflexed roses alongside anthuriums and alliums — the same considered approach to palette that makes ranunculus worth choosing when they're at their best. Alliums Underused and quietly exceptional. The spherical heads — deep violet, pale lilac or near-white — add structure and height to an arrangement without competing with softer stems. They bridge the gap between a conventional bouquet and something more considered. Bold, architectural and distinctly spring. You'll find alliums working through several of our spring arrangements as a structural element. Anemones They bridge winter and early spring — their dark centres and jewel-toned petals making them one of the most distinctive stems available year-round in the UK. Red, purple, white and pink, each with that characteristic black centre. Five to seven days in the vase, but a stem that earns every one of those days. In our current Laurentarrangement, the pale and ivory palette sits in the same considered territory as white anemones — quiet, structural, genuinely beautiful. Sweet Peas Available for a short window in late spring — May into early June — and intensely fragrant. One of the few cut flowers whose scent genuinely fills a room. They're delicate, come in soft pinks, lilacs, whites and bicolours, and they disappear quickly. When they're available, it's worth ordering. We'll be working with them as the season progresses. Narcissi The earliest marker that the season has actually changed. Bright, structural, unmistakably spring. They should be conditioned alone before combining with other stems — they release a sap that can shorten the vase life of stems around them. An hour in their own water first makes a difference. Why seasonal matters A flower available year-round isn't the same flower in season. Out-of-season stems are grown in controlled environments, often sourced thousands of miles away, and spend days in cold storage before they reach you. They're technically available. They're not at their best. Seasonal stems are cut close to their peak, transported quickly, and arranged at the height of their vitality. The difference is visible — in the depth of colour, the structure of the petals, the fragrance. It's also the more considered choice. Seasonal floristry has a smaller environmental footprint and supports growers working with the calendar rather than against it. At Saints, every arrangement is built around what's genuinely in season. Spring is one of the best times to order — not because of the occasion, but because of the quality of what's available right now. Ordering this spring Same-day delivery across London for orders placed by 4pm, Monday to Saturday. Next-day delivery nationwide for orders placed by 5pm Monday to Friday, or 11am Saturday. Shop the spring Florist Choice
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