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Edible Flowers and Micro-Herbs at Westlands

Edible Flowers and Micro-Herbs at Westlands
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Edible Flowers and Micro-Herbs at Westlands

So, it was off to Westlands Flowers, our Stratford upon Avon based supplier of micro-herbs and edible flowers, to see, from start to finish, how much care goes into the  growth and harvesting of these wonderfully decorative and tasty garnishes.

We had no idea how amazing and complex the systems would be to successfully grow on a mass scale micro-herbs, edible flowers, leaves and cress. It was particularly impressive to see how much the business takes sustainability into consideration (some of their practises are explained in this post).

Germination room sprouts resized

Firstly, we saw the germination room, where the plants start their life-cycle. The cress grows on recycled fabrics, most of which can decompose, apart from some types of polyester which is sent to landfill, leaving only a very small percentage of the original material left.

After the seeds are sown onto the fabric, the large rectangular beds of amaranth, mint, sage, thyme, and parsley, amongst many others, are taken to the germination room, which has a similar climate to a rain-forest, with the heat and the moisture ensuring that they grow quickly and healthily.

The seeds beds are then moved to the large glass greenhouses, where they are watered and slowly rotated whilst they grow over a few weeks before they are finally cut and packaged, ready for us to enjoy!

Rows of cress resiozes

Micro-herbs have become increasingly popular over the past twenty years in the culinary world due to their attractive appearance and subtle flavours, which can really enhance both sweet and savoury dishes.

Micro-greens are often confused with sprouts, however although both come from the same herb seeds, sprouts are eaten whole with the root and stem attached, after they have grown in water; whilst micro-greens are harvested at a younger age than the regular herb, and without roots. The micro-greens are grown in a much less dense area compared to sprouts, giving each leaf more room to grow.

micro parsley

The majority of these practises are carried out using an automated system, as the plant beds are on wheels and are controlled robotically, making the process extremely efficient and consistent. The site is so large, Westlands have even come up with a solution to transport leaves that have been cut and packaged, to bring them to the right place.

A moving rail transports trays of cut leaves, moving them from the greenhouses to the packing areas and, as forklifts are not required, helping the company cut its emissions. The centre also has its own water tank, reservoir and energy source, so as not to impinge upon the local communities’ resources.

moving trolley 2

Westlands do not only produce flowers and micro-herbs but also across the site tomatoes, a new product for the centre, are grown, picked and packaged. There are many more types than you would usually see in your typical supermarket –  different sizes, unusual shapes and a wonderful spectrum of colours, and all very tasty too! Try our Inca Tomatoes and Burrata salad recipe for a delicious summer meal.

tomatoes resized

The last area we saw was the edible flower greenhouses, where there are rows upon rows of flowers with beautifully coloured petals, as well as unique and interesting shaped plants. We had the delightful experience of tasting some of the flowers, ranging from blue-cheese smelling petals to spicy ‘Congo cockatoo’ flowers (shown in photo below), liquorice flavoured flowers and ‘Black Mint’, a very spicy herb that is very popular in Mexico.

congo cockatoo flowers edited

Here we also got to see the greenhouses where some of our most popular edible flower products grow and bloom in multiple rows: pansies, violas, daisies, roses, as well as edible flowers a little more unknown to us which we hope to stock very soon!

pink daisy resized Swedish flower resized

Westlands have a team who ‘selectively breed’ the flowers, which means the taste, colours and flavours can be perfected to the requirements of the chefs that they work with. The flowers and micro-herbs are grown year round, and are delivered fresh to our door daily, where they are sorted and sent out to our customers.

Every flower from the centre is produced with a lot of dedication and care, and we can’t wait to try and share more of the new produce soon! Check out Westland's website by clicking here.