This year’s Father’s Day wasn’t just marked by sunny weather, it was celebrated with sunflowers, too, thanks to a new campaign from premium retailer Waitrose.
The supermarket used a father and son sunflower grower team in Spalding to mark the occasion, as well as promoting the start of British Flowers Week, which begins today (19-25 June).
Fifth generation flower grower Richard Robinson, along with sons and Charles featured in the campaign for early sunflowers for the retailer.
The family grower 420 acres of sunflowers at their farm in Spalding, picking around nine million stems a year. They also produce Sweet Williams for the retailer, which sources 60 per cent of its summer flowers from British growers.
Waitrose horticulture buyer, Lucy Matthewson, said: 'Sunflowers are a true sign that summer is here and we're lucky to work with such dedicated British growers to offer our shoppers an abundance of homegrown flowers. And what could be more surprising than treating dad this Father's Day to some colourful blooms, grown by a father and his sons?'
Henry Robinson said: “We pick the stems when they are five to six feet tall and by the time they arrive at Waitrose, they'll be ready to open, showing off their magnificently cheerful yellow colour.
“I'm due to be a father for a second time this weekend and so this Father's Day will be extra special for my family.'
