A YORK farmer is seeking others to help breathe new life into the British flower industry.

Gill Hodgson, of Field House Farm, Everingham, was shocked to find that only ten per cent of flowers sold in the UK are sourced from this country – most travel from as far away as Colombia and Kenya.

Now, she and her daughter, Peggy, have formed Flowers From The Farm, a marketing co-operative which wants to recruit farmers and landowners to grow flowers for cutting.

It will also raise awareness among consumers, putting potential customers in touch with local growers.

Mrs Hodgson said: “Many of the flowers we buy have clocked up thousands of air miles and can be over a month old by the time they get to the shelves.

“We are all aware of the major benefits of buying food locally, but somehow flowers have slipped under the radar in our quest for local provenance.”

She started growing flowers three years ago and now has a regular stall at Driffield Farmers’ Market and provides flowers for weddings and special events, and to local businesses.

Mrs Hodgson said: “An incredible array of flowers can be grown on half an acre and set-up costs are not high.

“Farmers have the land, the skills and the machinery – they may not have grown flowers before, but are used to cultivating crops.”

Membership of the cooperative is £55 a year and members receive advice on which varieties to grow, where to look for new markets and how to get the best results from a small area.