A BRADLEY based artisan florist is marking this week's British Flowers Week by urging people to buy home grown blooms.

And, Susan Dobson, of The Yorkshire Dales Flower Company, will be offering discounts for her autumn workshop on bookings placed before the week is out.

Her workshops, which take place at her Bradley cottage garden nursery, show people a range of floristry techniques and the benefits of working with flowers grown in this country.

“My workshop programme is a chance for me to share my love of this cottage garden and is designed for people who simply want to learn more about flowers, particularly those which grow well here in our Yorkshire climate, and how to bring them indoors to create glorious seasonal arrangements," she said.

Susan set up her company after growing flowers for pleasure for many years.

And, what begun as a hobby, grew into a business for the now independent flower grower and member of Flowers From the Farm - an initiative which aims to promote improved provenance in the labelling of cut flowers.

The ultimate objective is to get people to connect with locally grown, and seasonal flowers, similar to buying food from farmers markets.

At her nursery, Susan grows many varieties not readily available, including lupins, delphiniums and hollyhocks all abundant from June to October.

As well as farming flowers, Susan is a trained florist and floral designer supplying arrangements and bouquets for occasions, weddings, events and funerals.

She also regularly works with professional stylists on magazine photo shoots.

To find out more about her workshops, including one on on July 15, visit her website:

yorkshiredalesflowers.co.uk