Sustainable florist paving the way for eco-friendly small businesses in Doncaster

Rachel Kennedy started Acacia Studio after she spent five years travelling around Asia.

Flower markets in China inspired her to learn the art form of floristry and start her own business back home in Doncaster.

Rachel, 34, from Westwoodside, said: “When lockdown hit it felt like the ideal time to start my dream business.

“We’re different from the traditional floristry that most people are used to as we push design boundaries and try new ideas.”

Rachel said that her bouquets have a natural and wild feel to them.

She creates statement pieces that feel like art when displayed.

Many of the flowers in her products are grown by Rachel herself - she aims to one day be able to produce 100 per cent of the plants in her arrangements.

In the meantime she is committed to using as many British grown flowers as possible.

“If you go to the supermarket and pick up a £4 bunch of flowers you have no idea where they have come from,” she continued.

“They can have travelled over 6,000 miles to get here.

“They’re refrigerated on aeroplanes and full of fertilisers.

“The environmental impact can be astounding.”

Rachel carries this ethos over to her packaging which is recyclable and ethically sourced.

In the near future Rachel will be running workshops in Doncaster to teach people how to arrange their own bouquets.

For more information on the workshops or Rachel’s flowers you can visit her website here.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.