Whilst many other businesses are feeling the pinch, Scent from the Islands, a postal flower service based on the tiny island of St Martin’s in the Scillies, is positively blooming with Narcissi sales figures up by nearly 20%.
With Christmas fast approaching – traditionally the busiest season for Scent from the Islands – the future is looking distinctly rosy for the family-run business.
The first blooms are already showing and from now until late December the packing shed at Churchtown Farm on St Martin’s will be as busy as Santa’s workshop.
Extra staff have already been employed to cope with orders and in the 12 days leading up to last posting day for Christmas, December 19, they’re expecting to prepare, pack and post an estimated 20,000 boxes of the sweet scented springtime blooms, many as Christmas gifts.
And the crowning glory is that the quality of this year’s crop is particularly outstanding. According to Churchtown’s field manager unlike the rest of us the Narcissi thoroughly enjoyed the cool damp summer weather.
Joint owner of Scent from the Islands, Zoe Julian said: “We’ve been keeping a keen eye on the financial news and had been prepared for business to slow as people tighten their belts.
“But sales are already high and all the signs are that they are growing. Perhaps it’s because our flowers provide a welcome boost of spring cheer during the dark depressing days of winter or perhaps it’s because they are a high impact gift at a relatively low price so a box makes an ideal present.
“Whatever the reason sales are up and, to cap it all, the blooms are magnificent with an extraordinary number of flowering heads on each stem and the stems themselves are longer and thicker than usual too.”
