'I like being outside... it's hopeful'

Jo Thompson tells JANET HUGHES why one of the biggest days in the florist’s calendar is bittersweet for her, and how a shock diagnosis prompted the third generation flower grower to return to her horticultural roots

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REPARING her romantic, naturalistic Mother's Day bouquets of traditional British cottage garden favourites earlier in the spring, was one of the most pleasurable but poignant jobs for Jo Thompson.

For the third-generation grower inherited her lifelong obsession with flowers from her mother who died last year.

Growing up, it was her mother Mary who taught Jo how to grow and display her favourite perennials and appreciate the ethereal quality of bringing beautiful, home-grown blooms into the home.

And when two cancer scares prompted Jo to give up her academic career and return to her horticultural roots by setting up Wye Valley Flowers, Mary was at her side, sorting seeds, manning the shop and welcoming those arriving for the pick-your-own days or courses.

From her annexe at Hope Farm, Mary looked on proudly as Jo, who's 56, built a reputation for her unwavering commitment to sustainability, and watched as she used the blooms and the hedgerows to inspire her dreamy, home-grown, bouquets and large-scale, installations.

Nobody was prouder than Mary when Jo, who sits on an industry sustainability panel with the King’s florist, Shane Connolly, was picked to be one of the Flowers from The Farm members to provide blooms for the Coronation.

“Our flowers ended up either side of the throne in Westminster Abbey and at the grave of the Unknown Warrior which was brilliant PR for us,” said Jo who donated some of her favourite ranunculus for the occasion. “My mum was so excited she kept moaning that King Charles was stood in front of the flowers.

“The flower farm was a big part of mine and mum's relationship. She was here for six years, and even though her health wasn’t good, she was always in the shop. She got to know so many people in that short time that there was a full house for her funeral.