The UK's first-ever Flower Pharmacy opened earlier this week in London, offering bouquets as a prescription for better mood. The one-day pop-up, held on Thursday, October 22, aimed to promote flowers as a source of everyday wellbeing rather than just a treat for special occasions.
Created in partnership with the Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland, the event featured bouquets "prescribed" to lift, calm, or energise guests based on their mood. Attendees were matched with arrangements tailored to their emotional needs and left with personalised bouquets.
Expert Insights on Floral Wellbeing
Chartered horticulturist, TV gardener, and author David Domoney said: "There's something incredibly uplifting about flowers, and research has shown that they can have a positive effect on our mood and emotional wellbeing."
He added: "From the cheerful yellows of sunflowers and freesias to the calming tones of blues and greens, colour can influence how we experience the spaces around us. We often associate flowers with special occasions, but there's no reason we shouldn't enjoy their beauty and the benefits of having them around us in everyday life. Sometimes, it's the simplest connections with nature that can make a real difference to how we feel."
Bouquets Tailored to Emotional Needs
Yellow flowers such as sunflowers, roses, freesias, and snapdragons were chosen to boost happiness. Blue and green blooms like hydrangeas, delphiniums, and chrysanthemums were recommended for calm, while vibrant orange, red, and pink flowers were suggested for energy.
The concept was inspired by new research commissioned by the Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland. The study found that 37% of adults struggle when the clocks go back, with 29% saying the end of British Summer Time leaves them feeling down. Additionally, 31% spend more time indoors after the clock change, 28% find darker evenings difficult, and 22% experience lower energy levels.
Research Highlights Emotional Impact of Flowers
In response, 86% of those affected use different strategies to lift their mood, including listening to music (32%), reading a book (28%), and exercising (25%). Almost a quarter (23%) turn to nature, 22% go for country walks, and 12% spend time gardening. Despite this, 38% said they have never considered buying themselves flowers.
Flowers remain closely linked with special occasions: 20% associate them with Mother's Day, 18% with Valentine's Day, 15% with weddings, and 13% with birthdays. However, the emotional impact is clear: half of those surveyed said flowers make them feel happy, 45% feel grateful, 34% feel joyful, and 24% feel comforted.
More than half (53%) said fresh flowers bring them more happiness than everyday treats like coffee, sweets, or takeaways—a number that rises to 70% among 25 to 34-year-olds. Despite this, only nine per cent regularly buy flowers for themselves.
Monique Kemperman, horticulture expert for Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland, said: "As the days become shorter and darker, small acts of self-care can make a real difference, and flowers are a simple way to bring colour, joy, and positivity into everyday life. Our research shows just how much of an emotional impact they can have, yet many people still reserve them for somebody else or a special occasion. The Flower Pharmacy is about encouraging people to see flowers as an everyday wellbeing boost rather than a treat saved for occasions."
