We are proud of our local history, and passionate about flowers, at I Love Lily and we would love to share some of those passions. We are artisanal florists who find inspiration all around us and we are certain we can provide the perfect flowers whatever the occasion. Wwe hope this brief introduction will help to inspire you as the local flowers, nature and history inspire us.
Cardiff, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff, is the eleventh largest city in the United Kingdom, and is also the capital city of Wales. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that the area has been inhabited by humans since at least 6000 BC, about 1500 years before the construction of either Stonehenge or the Great Pyramid of Giza was completed. However, Cardiff was a relatively small town until the early nineteenth century, when its prominence as a port, which was essential in transporting the coal that would drive the Industrial Revolution, aided the town’s growth. The area has a population of approximately 480,000 and Cardiff is home to the Welsh parliament (the Senedd), a large number of national cultural institutions, most Welsh media and it is also home to numerous sporting and entertainment venues. Despite its growth, Cardiff remains a county town and is part of the historic county of Glamorgan, which is a county of outstanding natural beauty and offers residents and visitors alike the chance to experience the diversity and beauty of nature on the doorstep.
The diversity of nature is celebrated in the choice of national symbols for Wales, be it the Leek, the dragon, the red kite, or the humble daffodil. This perennial flower, also known as Narcissus, was chosen to represent the country by David Lloyd George, the only Welshman to ever be Prime Minister of the UK. Its appearance in early spring neatly coincides with St. David’s Day on March 1st, and reflects nature’s optimism. The flower is also grown commercially for the galantamine they produce, as this can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Beautiful, and useful, it is hardly surprising that a country with the daffodil as its national flower should inspire so many budding florists.
These budding florists, both amateur and professional, can also find inspiration in the city itself. There are over 18 parks within the city, including Howardian Local Nature Reserve. This is a former landfill site that has been developed into a 32 acre site of varied habitats, ranging from estuarine to woodland, meadow, wetland to ponds that provide shelter and food for over 500 species of wildlife. With all of the wildlife come abundant local fauna, including flowers such as the Bee, Common spotted, Southern marsh and Butterfly orchids. The city also boasts the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve, which was opened in 2002 and created after the construction of the Cardiff Bay Barrage. The construction created 200 hectares of freshwater lake from previous salt marsh and the reserve was then developed to encourage biodiversity and promote the regions local flowers.
There are also a collection of botanical gardens, Dyffryn Gardens, in Glamorgan which showcase the passion of locals for both native and exotic flora. These are presently in the care of the National Trust but were started to keep up the flower hunting craze of the 19th century. Reginald Cory was one of these hunters who travelled the world in search of exotic new plants and flowers. He brought his discoveries back to Dyffryn and used the sheltered south-facing position to plant his specimens and many of them still thrive today.
These are just some of the reasons we are the inspired florists we are today, and we truly believe we have the flower and bouquet to suit any occasion. As local, artisanal florists we are confident that we can inspire you, too.
