Flowers That Don't Cost the Earth! How to grow and enjoy flowers sustainably.

Love flowers? Join us for a relaxed and sociable evening discovering how growing your own seasonal flowers can bring colour and beauty into your home, garden and community, while saving money and being kinder to the planet.

Dr Jill Timms from the University of Surrey’s Sustainable Flowers Research Group will be joined by a fantastic line-up of local growers and sustainability experts, sharing the latest research alongside practical, achievable advice on growing and enjoying flowers more sustainably.

Speakers Include:

• Dr Jill Timms, University of Surrey – sharing research into the environmental impact of cut flowers and how we can make more sustainable choices.
• Ashby Sachs, Research Fellow in Horticulture and Wellbeing at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) – exploring the connections between gardening, flowers and wellbeing.
• Alison Moulden, Mission Enabler for Environment at the Diocese of Guildford – sharing how churches and communities can embrace more sustainable approaches to flowers.
• Claire Brown, Plant Passion – bringing practical insights from a local flower grower on growing and enjoying seasonal flowers.

Discover what to grow, and when, hear how communities are changing the way they use flowers, and pick up ideas you can try at home, in pots, allotments or community spaces.

There will be plenty of opportunity to meet the experts, ask questions, explore displays, enjoy a tour of the community garden and chat with others interested in flowers, gardening and greener living.

And you won't leave empty-handed! During a practical planting workshop, you'll be able to choose and plant seeds to take home, together with advice to help you nurture them – so your own sustainable flower-growing journey can begin that very evening.

What's happening on the evening?

6.00–6.30pm: Refreshments, exhibition and tours of the community garden.

6.30–7.30pm: Presentations from our guest speakers, followed by questions and discussion.

7.30–8.30pm: Practical planting workshop, with opportunities to get advice from our experts.

Whether you're a keen gardener or a complete beginner, everyone is welcome. Come for the flowers, stay for the conversation – and leave with something new to grow!

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science - Please review the University of Surrey's Privacy Notice regarding events here.

View all our University of Surrey FREE public engagement events on our box office here: Buy tickets – University of Surrey