New Flower Market set for Chiswick
A new innovative and exciting Flower Market is set to launch on Sunday 6th September with the aim of opening on the first Sunday of every month. Based in the centre of Chiswick in West London the Flower Market will be open between between 9.30am and 3pm.
An enterprising group of residents (pictured banner above) have got together to work in partnership with Hounslow Council and surrounding businesses to set up this new event. Designed to act as a catalyst to revive the High Road, bringing fresh footfall, spending, fun and greenery to the area, the project is not only ambitious but also a happy, positive event.
The organisers are hoping for a green ‘high street bounce back’ and with a tempting mixture of stalls, based around classic market traders, and carefully curated, the project hopes to become ‘the Columbia Road of the West’. Steve Burridge whose family have been selling flowers in Columbia Road for nearly 100 years is excited about the project: “I want to come because I want to sell more plants! I have a good feeling about this one,” he said. London House Plants, with a large online following, will be leaving their original stall in Columbia Road in the capable hands of a family member in order to test the Chiswick waters! Other market traders coming with bedding, annuals, baskets and pots will include W4Flowers, Andrew Barker from Osterley, Finest Plants and expert specialist growers Pepperpot Herbs.
There will be dramatic structural plants from Chiswick’s Ailand and Jacques Amand will be providing a stunning display of bulbs in good time for autumn planting. Local horticultural charity Cultivate London is focusing on fruit trees, autumn planting and bulbs while Matt Spratt, aka the Kew Gardener, is bringing grasses, bamboos and succulents.
There will be cut flowers from local florist Pop Pourri (pictured above) and from sustainable growers Electric Daisy Flower Farm. Children are catered for with Herboo’s nature boxes.
There is also an important opportunity for new local businesses to dip their toes in the water with an Innovation Corner.
Chiswick House will be cutting down the flower miles to a few yards by bringing all the productive beauty of their kitchen garden to the Market and the Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society will be available for advice so bring your questions along!
The Market is, of course, determined to provide a safe shopping environment so there will be a one-way system, hand sanitisers and distancing advice. All visitors are strongly recommended to wear masks within the market area with trained volunteers on hand.
The Chiswick Flower Market is committed to creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly space where local growers are given priority, the use of plastic and peat is discouraged and free local cargo bike delivery is being offered.
Chiswick is the perfect place for a new flower market as it already has a great heritage. The birthplace of the English Landscape movement, of the Royal Horticultural Society and of many fruit and plant varieties over the centuries.
So make a date, the first Sunday of every month commencing Sunday 6th September 2020.
Photo credits: Banner top of page: Group portrait of the organising team ©credit Anna Kunst; Market Poster credit Liz Butler RWS, centre photograph: Dominic Hughes, owner of Chiswick florist Pot Pourri with co-worker Louise Smith, credit Anna Kunst.
