Reflecting on 2024: Wins, Lessons, and Sustainable Goals for Delilah and Herb in 2025

2024 has been such a whirlwind for Delilah and Herb! I sat down today and wrote a list of everything I’ve done this year and I was amazed - it was a real “oh wow, did I really do all that?” kind of moment. It’s a great exercise for anyone to do - I’d recommend it! 

For me, after leaving my old job to go ‘full time’ with Delilah & Herb in May, it really has been a year of trying new things, letting go of what doesn’t work, and planting the seeds (literally and figuratively!) for an even brighter 2025.

3 Things I’ve Tried and Ditched in 2024

This year, in the pursuit of finding out what Delilah and Herb was really about, I gave a few things a go that didn’t quite stick and are now on the cutting room floor. 

Looking back, I started the year trying to sound like a big, established business. There is of course always an element of ‘fake it til you make it’ but the reality is - it’s just me, and my business was less than a year old at that point. My messaging felt really awkward, I didn’t enjoy promoting myself that way and I soon discovered people actually support and champion you more when they know the real you. I unmasked and here I am - tadah! 

Next, I decided the way to increase my bouquet sales was to post them around the country. Despite successful deliveries, I would lay awake thinking about the state of the flowers on arrival. Also, when I started developing the business more sustainably, it just didn’t make sense - using local flowers and then posting them on, adding transport miles that you’d worked hard to reduce. Now, I recommend finding a local, independent florist and ordering directly from them. 

Finally, I dabbled with artificial flowers earlier in the year. Some of the displays I made can still be seen around Tonbridge however all I can really say is, they’re just not for me - nothing beats working with real flowers and their short life span makes them all the more special to me. 

What I’ve Tried and Loved in 2024

My biggest love and best move - finding local flower farmers and using locally grown flowers. Not only are they absolutely stunning and unusual, there are SO many other benefits to this (environmentally and economically) and it transformed my business totally. I loved it so much and so did you. It even inspired me to put in my own beds in the summer and start learning to grow my own. 

My next two loves came off the back of discovering the flowers. Using such gorgeous, natural products - I started questioning the use of plastics, in particular floral foam (Oasis) in my work. I discovered a whole band of florists beating the drum for ditching foam and set about learning as much as I could from them. Literally overnight, I ditched foam and single use plastics and have not looked back since.  

In June, to share my love of the gorgeous local flowers, I started ‘Flowers from the Porch’. Small posies on a self service basis, available from the porch at the weekends. I could never have imagined how well this would have gone when I put those first ten bunches out and crept back a few hours later, expecting to see them all still sitting there. There’s now a loyal band of ‘Flowers from the Porch’ followers - not only was it a great way to spread the word about British flowers but I’ve made some great connections with lovely local people who share my love of the flowers. 

Sustainability Wins

Once I’d realised how much I loved working in this way, going greener became a constant goal and I leaned in hard. From researching and sourcing even more locally grown blooms and finding creative ways to repurpose leftover materials, I’ve done my best to walk the sustainable talk. As I mentioned above, I’ve made all my designs 100% foam-free and am finding ways to cut back on other waste and improve the afterlife of all of my flowers. It’s also made me so much more conscious in my own personal life - a real win. 

I’m so proud of these changes, it’s something I talk about a lot and it feels like my business has really found its space here however there's always room for growth. In 2025, I’m excited to explore using my own garden as a resource more - expanding on the project of growing my own I started this summer. Starting in January, I’ll be sharing updates via my ‘Flower Patch Post’ as I begin cultivating blooms and foliage to incorporate into my arrangements. You can follow along by signing up here.  

Lessons Learned

I’m definitely a ‘glass half full’ and ‘every mistake is a lesson’ kind of person - although that of course doesn’t always make them easy at the time. If there’s one big takeaway from 2024, it’s that simplicity is powerful. Keeping my services and processes clear and my ethos front and centre. Understanding my value and time is a constant work in progress (I’m sure it is for many small business owners?) but starting to get to grips with this has helped me focus on what matters most - creating stunning, sustainable designs and connecting with you, my amazing clients.

What’s Next and How to Work With Me in 2025

Next year is already shaping up to look really exciting. Here’s a few things to expect - 

  • From Jan, I’m going to be working in a garden a couple of days a week as part of a training scheme (WRAGS) to learn as much as I can about growing my own. You can read more about WRAGS here. So excited to share what I learn with you and use it to improve my growing. Remember to sign up to the ‘Flower Patch Post’ to keep up to date.

  • A really special area of my business is funeral flowers. I’m working hard to expand this side of things, building connections with undertakers and others in the industry to promote eco-friendly tributes. 

  • When the season restarts, I’m planning to take ‘Flowers from the Porch’ to the next level - watch this space! 

  • After the success of the Christmas wreath workshops, I’d love to add a couple of new workshops (ideas are brewing—stay tuned!).

  • I will be taking a proper holiday in August—self-care is sustainability too, right?

Whether you're planning a wedding, looking for heartfelt funeral flowers, or just wanting to bring a little seasonal beauty into your life, I’d love to work with you and talk to you all about beautiful, eco-friendly flowers. You can contact me here.

Here’s to a fresh year, full of flowers, growth, and new possibilities. Thank you for being part of this journey—I couldn’t do it without you!

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January: Jobs for the Garden

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How I add poignant personal touches to funeral flowers