Cotherstone florist Heidi Varley, who set up Pinks Flower Farm with her mum Pat Oddy six years ago, has been named one of the UK’s top 100 faces in the industry.
Recipients of the award, which celebrate all aspects of the floral industry and organised by trade magazine The Florist, were announced on Saturday, June 8, to mark the inaugural National Florist Day.
News she had not only been nominated but was among the top 100 florists came as a shock to Ms Varley, who grows sustainable and environmentally friendly blooms in Cotherstone.
She said: “I was nominated by Katherine Hume, who runs Forget Me Knot Floral Design and Flower School at Shildon. I didn’t know anything about it.
“It was quite a surprise when she rang. But I just felt it’s really positive because it is nice to be recognised for what we do.”
Ms Varley added: “Katherine is the loveliest woman and when I stared this place she would come in and she would take whatever I had grown. She has been such a huge support since we started. She has such a lot of experience in the industry she has offered advice when we needed it as well as support.”
Initially Ms Varley sold her British grown flowers wholesale, but changed her business model during covid.
She said: “When covid struck all the florists shut and it was heart-breaking to see all the tulips fields in Holland going to waste but my phone started ringing and ringing with people asking for flowers.
“We started delivering to people locally. People who were customers back then are still customers now and it was at that point we realised we changed direction. Now we sell direct. I also upskilled and completed a floristry course so we are able to do a select number of weddings and funerals.”
She said: “Everything we have here is aimed to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. We grow everything from seed and do it organically. We are not trying to replicate what a florist does.
“I’m just very thankful to the people of Teesdale because we have a lot of local customers and the business has grown through word of mouth. I’m so thankful to everyone for buying local flowers and giving us their support.”
