Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland brought a welcome burst of colour to London with the launch of the UK’s first ‘Flower Pharmacy’, encouraging consumers to think differently about when and why they buy fresh flowers. 

For two days, a space on Bateman Street in London’s Soho was transformed into a colourful take on a traditional pharmacy. Instead of medicine, visitors were invited for a light-hearted consultation before being matched with a complimentary floral “prescription” based on how they wanted to feel, from Happy and Calm to Energised and Treat Yourself. 

Taking place on 21 and 22 October, the pop-up was deliberately timed ahead of the clocks going back, bringing a welcome dose of colour to London as the darker days set in. Across the two days, the team handed out more than 400 floral prescriptions, with each visitor taking home a bouquet created around their chosen mood. 

Those looking for a dose of happiness at the Pharmacy received yellow blooms including sunflowers, roses, freesias and snapdragons, while blue and green hydrangeas, delphiniums and chrysanthemums featured in calming prescriptions. Vibrant orange, red and pink flowers were prescribed to those looking for an energy boost. 

The concept brought to life research commissioned by Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland, highlighting the feel-good power of fresh flowers and encouraging people to see them as an everyday pick-me-up, rather than something reserved for birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. 

A poll of 2,000 UK adults found over half said fresh flowers make them happier than everyday treats such as coffee, something sweet or a takeaway, rising to 70 per cent among 25 to 34-year-olds. 

Yet despite their feel-good factor, 38 per cent of adults have never considered buying themselves flowers, while just nine per cent do so regularly. More than one in five (21%) said they would like to buy flowers for themselves more often, highlighting an opportunity to make flowers a bigger part of consumers’ everyday treat routines. 

Monique Kemperman, horticulture expert for Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland, said: “The Flower Pharmacy was about getting people to think about flowers a little differently. We often associate them with gifts and special occasions, but there’s no reason we can’t buy them for ourselves simply because we fancy a pick-me-up. 

"We wanted to bring that idea to life in a fun, playful way and show that picking up a bunch of flowers can be just as much of an everyday treat as grabbing a coffee or something sweet. Sometimes you don’t need a special occasion, you just need something that makes you smile.”