Ahead of British Flowers Week, early sunflowers were harvested for Waitrose, by a father and sons team in the Lincolnshire Fens, near Spalding. Henry and Charles Robinson are the sixth generation of flower growers, working on their 147 year old family farm, with their father Richard. The Robinson's farm has 420 acres of sunflower fields, with the growers picking eight to nine million stems a year. They also grow sweet Williams for the supermarket, which has a long standing commitment to supporting British growers. During the summer months, 60% of the flowers Waitrose sell are sourced from British farms.
Photo credit: Fiona Hanson/Waitrose
Waitrose Horticulture Buyer, Lucy Matthewson, says, "Sunflowers are a true sign that summer is here and we're lucky to work with such dedicated British growers to offer our shoppers an abundance of homegrown flowers. And what could be more surprising than treating Dad this Father's Day to some colourful blooms, grown by a father and his sons?"
Says sunflower grower, Henry Robinson, "Growing flowers for us is not just a job, it's a passion. We never get bored of seeing our fields of sunflowers. We pick the stems when they are five to six feet tall and by the time they arrive at Waitrose, they'll be ready to open, showing off their magnificently cheerful yellow colour. I'm due to be a father for a second time this weekend and so this Father's Day will be extra special for my family."
For more information:
www.waitrose.com
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