Church of England adopts policy to favour seasonal, local flowers

The General Synod voted on 12 February to encourage parish churches to use more seasonal, local and low‑impact flowers and to move away from floral foam.

The Church of England's General Synod voted on 12 February to encourage the use of sustainable flowers in parish worship. The motion was brought by the Bishop of Dudley, Martin Gorrick, and was discussed in a Synod that includes bishops and diocesan representatives. The policy defines sustainable flowers as those that travel shorter distances, use less packaging and are grown with lower chemical, energy or water inputs. The decision links stewardship of creation with how churches source and display flowers. Key points: - The motion to use sustainable flowers was passed by the General Synod on 12 February and was introduced by the Bishop of Dudley. - The policy encourages seasonal, local and compostable flowers and seeks to reduce packaging and long-distance transport. - The Synod aims to phase out floral foam and to promote reusable or compostable display methods such as vases and sticks. - Churches may source displays from churchyards, gardens, donations and local growers; if around 12,000 parishes averaged two bunches a week, that would total about 1.2 million bunches a year. - Initiatives mentioned in the discussion include the Flower Growing Collective, Flowers from the Farm and a new national award scheme for sustainable church flowers. Summary: The decision is likely to change how parish flower teams plan arrangements and may encourage greater use of local growers and simpler display methods. It also highlights gaps in consumer information about flower origins and production standards. Parish leaders will be updated and wider effects on florists and supply chains are undetermined at this time.