UK: Meeting the grower behind Marks & Spencer's new sunflower varieties

British sunflower season is here and M&S has launched a range of new bouquets, showcasing new sunflower varieties for customers to try.

The varieties on offer include fiery-bright Helios flame, deep-burgundy Pro Cut red, Sun Rich Gold, Solano Gold and Double sunflowers. Customers can find the new bouquets – including Speciality Sunflower Abundance (also available online) and Sunflower, Cerise Rose and Eryngium available in selected UK stores.

Behind these new varieties is the Naylor family, based in Spalding in South Lincolnshire, who have been growing cut flowers for over 70 years.

The family has been working with M&S for over two decades now as a Select Farm partner and grow over 100 million cut stems of cut flowers per year, including plenty of sunflowers.

Each flower is hand-picked by a skilled harvest team seven days a week to make sure they are at just the right stage to look their best in customers' homes and last for longer.

The Naylor family now employ more than 80 colleagues across the 600-acre farm and have been investing in renewable energy, roof water harvesting and robotic weeding to help improve sustainability on-site.

© Marks & Spencer

Matt Naylor, Managing Director of Naylor Flowers Ltd, said: "I've been growing flowers now for over 30 years and the summer harvest is always a highlight! Our sunflowers have one of the longest seasons and so much work and skills goes in from the whole team to grow and harvest each stem to make sure it's the perfect quality for M&S customers. It's fantastic that customers are getting to see even more varieties this year and we're incredibly proud to be bringing that touch of joy into people's homes across the UK."

Kathryn Camps, Senior Technologist at M&S, adds: "Our new eye-catching Speciality Sunflowers are sure to make a statement in your home and spread some of that summer joy! From fiery reds to magnolias and rich golds, these flowers instantly uplift any space. It's brilliant to have such longstanding relationships with our growers like the Naylor family, who share our relentless focus on quality and that passion for the perfect summer bouquet!"

M&S' 'Flower Doctor' works directly with suppliers to ensure every stem meets the highest standards of quality and freshness, with all M&S flowers handpicked for perfection with a 5-day guarantee.