International Women's Day (IWD) takes place this Sunday, March 8th, and 2026 marks the event's 115th anniversary. As well as celebrating the advancement of women, IWD traditionally sees men buy flowers for the women in their lives and it is rapidly becoming a significant annual occasion in the Flower Market.
"We've seen IWD become a bigger and bigger event in terms of sales over the past few years," said Sam Hardcastle of Bloomfield Wholesale Florist. "It's a huge, huge week for flower growers in the Netherlands, who will sell enormous quantities of flowers to the Eastern European countries where it has always been a big event in the calendar year. The yellow mimosa flower is the main symbol of IWD, and we've ordered large quantities this week to meet the expected demand from our European customers."
The mimosa is a beautiful, delicate yellow flower that's predominantly grown in Italy and France, then imported into the UK via the Netherlands. Seen as a representation of women, the mimosa's global popularity surged during the women's rights movement in Russia and Italy during the Second World War. In Italy, the mimosa flower took on new significance in the 1940s, becoming a symbol of the women's movement.
© New Covent Garden MarketYellow mimosas are the main symbol of International Women's Day. Above are Green and Bloom's Terry Smith with florist Yamina Chaib (known in the trade as 'Frenchie').
Green & Bloom's Terry Smith said that as well as mimosas, giving a gift of cut stems in shades of whites and pale pinks is another popular way to mark this year's IWD. "It is huge in Eastern Europe as a tradition to honour the women in your life," explained Terry . "It's important not to miss anyone out, whatever their age. In countries across Eastern Europe, every woman in a family - from a baby girl to a grandmother – will be given flowers by the men in their family as a mark of respect."
And the purchases are not limited to men; women too want to show their love and respect for their friends and family. Florist Yamina Chaib – known in the trade by her alias 'Frenchie' – said she'll be purchasing mimosas this week for all the women in her life. "Mimosas are such a unique flower – there's nothing that looks like them," said Yamina, who was visiting the Flower Market to make her purchases ready for this Sunday's event. "I have lots of friends in France and I'll be sending mimosas to all of my wonderful friends to celebrate IWD this weekend."
Championing women's advancement since 1911, IWD highlights gender equality, women's achievement, and raises awareness about discrimination. This year's theme is 'Give To Gain', aiming to forge gender equality by encouraging a mindset of generosity and collaboration. Find out more about IWD here.
