About Us
SIMPLE FOLKS, FABULOUS STEMS
The Royal Flower Exchange is made up of ordinary people who love flowers, Manchester and life in general. We take pride in our work, our city and our communities. So let us tell a little about our favourite subjects.
It almost goes without saying, but we’ll say it, as artisanal local florists we absolutely adore flowers. We love their look, their aromas, the textures and their individuality. And we really love working with fresh flowers every day.
We have been hand crafting beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers for the people of the city we love, Manchester, for more years than we care to count. But we don’t want to talk about us, we let our fresh flowers do the talking, we want to talk about Manchester, its history, its present and some of our favourite green spaces.
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF MANCHESTER AN ITS GREEN SPACES
Known by many as the unofficial second city of the UK, Manchester began life as a settlement attached to a Roman fort, and has grown into a thriving, vibrant city that is home to many independent local businesses.
As with many important British towns and cities, Manchester began life as a Roman settlement between two rivers, the Medlock and the Irwell, and has grown from there. At the turn of the 19th century the rapid expansion of the city, initiated by the rise in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution Manchester became the world’s first industrialised city.
Renowned for its part in the Industrial Revolution, as a capital of sports and entertainment, for its innovative transport connections (the Manchester-Liverpool Road railway station was the world’s first inter-city passenger railway station) and its diversity, Manchester has memories on every corner.
As we have mentioned we are proud of Manchester, so we feel the need to mention the small part the city played in the name of scientific advancement. Ernest Rutherford first split the atom at the University of Manchester in 1917. Alan Turing, the father of the computer is from the area, and the first graphene was isolated here in 2004.
Manchester is now part of the UK’s second most populous urban area, with a population of 2.7 million, although the city has a population of around 600,000. Despite this fact, the city has managed to retain a significant number of green spaces and the city now boasts 47 parks within the city centre, and numerous other nature reserves and botanic gardens in the Greater Manchester area
There is a strong historical connection between our beloved city and the natural world. Proof of this can be found in the Manchester coat of arms which incorporates bees, a nod to the industriousness of the city and to the importance of pollination, flowers and nature to the world and its future.
We asked our florists for their favourite places to find flowers in Manchester, and have an in depth article here, and we will highlight the top two (in our florists opinion!) below.
THE MANCHESTER GARDEN AND FLETHCHER MOSS BOTANICAL GARDEN
At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Manchester Garden offers a new perspective on post-industrial cities, champions green spaces and promotes the need for sustainability as the world marches on. Created by florists with a passion, it is truly an eye-opening and thought-provoking place to visit.
It highlights the way water can be managed by considered planting to improve drainage, the use of trees chosen specifically for the resistance to future climate change, using plants and flowers to improve soil productivity in urban environments, and demonstrating how parks, gardens and greenspaces can beneficial not only to the environment but can also improve the economic and social aspects of a city.
The promotion of this sustainable approach to gardens and flowers did not begin with the RHS Chelsea Flower show, far from it. Greater Manchester is home to more than 500 sites of Biological importance, and 57 nature reserves, including canals and reservoirs.
Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden
One of the most important of these sites is the Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden, named after a local alderman who donated the park to the city in 1915, and is part botanical garden and part wildlife habitat. A walled rock garden is the main feature of the gardens and was designed by the renowned botanist Robert Wood Williamson.
As the gardens are laid out on a south-facing slope they are sheltered from the elements, which allows a large number and variety of non-hardy species to thrive in a micro-climate. Small waterfalls cascade down the rock gardens into a pond surrounding by native and non-native plants and flowers such as royal ferns, marsh marigolds and irises.
THINGS TO DO IN MANCHESTER
There are literally hundreds of reasons to visit the city, and millions do every year. From its historic industrial past, to its range of museums and galleries, to culture and the arts, to architecture, to fantastic places to eat, drink and be merry, Manchester has something for everyone.
We are not all about flowers, and want to highlight some of our favourite places to socialise in Manchester. For a look at where our Manchester florists think you should visit, check out our magazine article. Some things just can’t wait, so we also listed some of our favourite areas below.
A FLORISTS MUST SEE IN MANCHESTER
ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE
Housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Manchester, this unusual seven sided glass and steel theatre is not only an architectural marvel but also home to some of the best productions in the country.
NORTHERN QUARTER
Part of Manchester’s project of regeneration, the Northern Quarter has a unique character and is home to numerous independent businesses from cafes and restaurants to independent record stores and fashion outlets.
TREETOP ADVENTURE GOLF
We can’t guarantee the weather will be great in Manchester, but we can guarantee that this place is fun for all the family no matter what it’s like outside. With two 18 hole courses and a selection of great places to eat and drink too, we highly recommend a visit here.
We can’t just leave you hanging. After telling you some of our favourite places, it would be rude not to tell you some of the places we love to eat and drink in Manchester.
TOP 3 PLACES FOR FOOD IN MANCHESTER
In the opinion of our Manchester florists at least…
ESCAPE TO FREIGHT ISLAND
Another example of the constant reimagining and redevelopment of Manchester, this visionary food market was created in a long forgotten freight depot and not only has some of the finest chefs and restaurants in the city, but offers a selection of daily and weekly events to keep visitors entertained and coming back for more.
THE BLUES KITCHEN
Offering an excellent menu of locally sourced, seasonal produce this late night bar, restaurant and music venue also has some of the most talented musicians around on a regular basis.
GREENS
First opened in 1990, and ‘scaring carnivores’ ever since, this outstanding vegetarian restaurant proves you don’t need to eat meat to enjoy a sumptuous meal.
Need the best flowers outside of Manchester? Check out our friendly local florists near you!
