A NEW exhibition of photographs at Ryedale Folk Museum is set to shed light on a growing and vibrant industry of artisan cut-flower growers.

The exhibition of work by North Yorkshire-based Tessa Bunney opens at museum’s art gallery in Hutton-le-Hole on Saturday, June 16, just in time for the start of British Flowers Week.

Tessa has spent the last two years documenting the individuals who are making cut-flowers their business.

Working in collaboration with the not-for-profit organisation, Flowers from the Farm, Tessa has visited 20 farms and growers, meeting the people who are contributing to an active, rising number of flower growers in the UK.

“I first heard about Flowers from the Farm at Hovingham farmers’ market,” said Tessa.

“Farmer and florist Rachel Wilkes of Ducks and Daffodils, who was involved with the initiative, was at the market selling her seasonal flowers.

“This new movement in British fairly-traded flowers seemed to have appeared while I had been living overseas.

“At that time, I was just preparing to move back to North Yorkshire, from Laos and I knew I would soon be looking for a new photographic project to become obsessed with.

“Meeting the farmers has been a fascinating journey.

“I’ve learned about commercial flower-growing across the UK by visiting larger growers in Lincolnshire and smaller artisan ones scattered across the country.”

On Monday, June 18, two of the women who feature in Tessa’s photographs, will also run a flower-arranging workshop at Ryedale Folk Museum, marking the start of British Flowers Week.

Suzie Rush and Clarey Wrightson have both established successful cut-flower businesses.

They will provide ideas and tips about growing cut-flowers and will talk about the importance of supporting locally grown flowers.

Participants will be guided through making an arrangement which they can then take home.

Details of costs and how to book are available through the museum’s website.

FarmerFlorist runs from Saturday, June 16, to Sunday, July 15, and is open daily, from 10am to 5pm, with free entry to the art gallery.