Church Flowers

Psalm 24:1

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”



Sustainable Church Flowers – Parish of Portishead

As a parish, we support the principles of the Sustainable Church Flowers movement, which helps us live out the Church’s Fifth Mark of Mission — to care for God’s creation. This means using local, seasonal, and fully biodegradable or compostable flowers and foliage wherever we can, and avoiding the use of floral foam (oasis) whenever possible.

We encourage the use of locally grown and seasonal flowers and greenery in our church arrangements, as this is better for the environment and supports local growers.

We also want to move away from using floral foam and similar products in our churches and churchyards. Floral foam is made from plastic, is not compostable, and breaks down into tiny microplastics that can harm wildlife and pollute waterways, especially when water used with it goes down the drain.

Floral foam has only been around since the 1940s, and there are plenty of good alternatives. Many churches, including ours, are already using things like chicken wire, reusable holders, bamboo, and other natural methods, which work just as well and are much kinder to the environment.

By taking these steps, the Parish of Portishead hopes to play its part in caring for God’s creation and making our worship as environmentally responsible as possible.