Like many cult creative businesses in London, flower subscription service Uncut Stems was born during lockdown. Founder Vicki Baker was forced to take a break from her career as a freelance producer and stylist and missed having gorgeous blooms to bring home from the shoots she had worked on.
But when she searched for a delivery service, she discovered a gap in the market. “I wasn’t satisfied with any of the options available to me. The flowers lacked character and no one was being open about where they came from,” she tells Broadsheet.
Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Baker learnt all she could about the supply chain of British flowers, found a small farm near the capital to source them from, and began by delivering a mix of seasonal stems to her friends using a hired van.
Soon she had gathered a wait list for her bunches, which led her to gain backing from investors in 2022 – and things really took off. Uncut Stems – which Baker describes as a “flower club” – now delivers seasonal (and wherever possible) British flowers to a loyal community either weekly, fortnightly, or as a one-off set of seasonal mixed or mono stems. When we spoke to Baker, Cornish alstroemeria and Lincolnshire irises were in season.
While Baker doesn’t have a traditional background in floristry – seeing herself as more of a stylist – green fingers do run in her family. “They run a landscaping business and I always had a romantic idea that when I stopped being a producer I would work with flowers.”
The reality is rather different to her younger pipe dreams (“It’s hard graft!”), though she says it’s opened her up to a welcoming creative community of growers and florists. “I really love learning about seasonality and the relationship I’ve built with our farmers.”
Baker is committed to her blooms having an ethical and sustainable route from farm to home. “By sourcing the majority of our flowers from the UK, we’re re-investing in both the British farming industry and the local economy, plus we know that the farmers are being paid fairly.”
In a nod to transparency, Uncut Stems encloses a letter with every delivery that details the provenance of each stem, as well as including styling tips and grower updates. “If I have to use imported flowers, I will explain why and where from … the British flower industry is at the mercy of the weather,” Baker explains. She also posts regular Instagram tutorials to inspire the community.
Baker believes that flower arranging is an art that everyone can benefit from – particularly Londoners. “It’s a kind of meditation,” she says. “The majority of people are buying them for themselves, so it’s a kind of self-care which takes them away from the hustle of city life momentarily.”
According to Baker, asymmetry is key to a beautiful bouquet. “Arrange them by type – start with all of your foliage then do all of your dahlias. Then cut your stems one by one. If you have three of one flower, try one short, one medium and leave one tall. You should end up with a lovely, asymmetric arrangement.” She also advises to always arrange in situ, so your flowers look how you want in the spot they’ll be sitting in your home.
