This month marks a special milestone for us, we are celebrating five years of selling orchids online! When we launched our online store in April 2020 out of necessity during lockdown, we never imagined the incredible support and love we would receive from the public. Thanks to you, we have not only survived but thrived. As we celebrate this anniversary, we want to take a moment to reflect on our history, our family roots, and the journey that has brought us here today.
Although we have been selling online for five years, our roots go much further back. We are proud third-generation British family growers. Founded in 1961 by Hugh Stevenson, our nursery has been passed down through generations and is now run by his grandson, Andy. What began as a few small glasshouses and a can-do attitude has grown into the UK's largest grower of Phalaenopsis orchids.
Our nursery, based in the New Forest, has been growing flowering plants for over 60 years. It all began when Hugh was gifted a piece of land by his father-in-law. A keen grower, he recognised that the sunny conditions on the south coast would be ideal for cultivating plants due to the high levels of sunshine. With this vision, he built a few modest glasshouses, started growing flowering plants, and delivered them locally by horse and cart!
Hugh soon joined forces with Helmut, and the nursery began to grow. Hugh was not only a passionate grower but also a radical entrepreneur. His revolutionary large-span glasshouses, which were ahead of their time, are still used within the industry today.
Innovation has always been at the heart of our business. When Hugh’s son, Neil, joined the company, they decided to specialise in growing Phalaenopsis orchids. For the past 20 years, we have been perfecting the art of orchid growing, continuously adapting our nursery by introducing automation and improving sustainability.
Orchids, particularly mini orchids, have always been popular due to their beauty and ease of care. We launched Love Orchids in 2016 at the Chelsea Flower Show as a platform to provide information, advice, and inspiration for orchid lovers. Our goal was to share our expertise and encourage more people to grow and appreciate these stunning plants. Winning an RHS Gold Medal at the show for our display Love Orchids – The Story of the Phalaenopsis was a proud moment for us and helped us build a community of orchid enthusiasts who share our passion.
When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, our business faced an unexpected challenge. Demand for orchids through our usual wholesale channels plummeted, leaving thousands of beautiful plants at risk of going to waste. As a family, we couldn’t bear the thought of our orchids ending up on the compost heap—especially when people needed something beautiful to lift their spirits.
Neil and Andy, who had joined his uncle in recent years, made a bold decision: to take Love Orchids online and deliver directly to people’s homes. It was a completely new venture for us, and we had to move fast. Within a week, in April 2020, we launched our online shop. It was a leap of faith, but one driven by our passion and determination to keep our business — and our plants — alive.
Our very first product was the multi-pack — four mini orchids for £20, including delivery. It was an incredible deal, not because it made us money, but because it helped us save plants from being discarded and kept our team working during a difficult time.
Overnight, we went from selling to a handful of retailers to hundreds of individual online customers. After our story got picked up by a couple of national newspapers and BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme, support for Love Orchids grew.
As a small family business, we suddenly found ourselves managing a high volume of orders and customer enquiries. The process was entirely manual, with the whole team pitching in to pack orders and deliver locally. The added challenge of lockdown restrictions made it even more difficult. We had to rapidly change the way we worked to keep up with demand — it was a challenging time, but one that taught us invaluable lessons.
Despite the difficulties, we were rewarded by touching stories from customers who found comfort and happiness in our orchids during lockdown. It was heartwarming to know that our plants played a small role in brightening people’s days during such a difficult period. This feedback motivated us to keep going and to continuously improve our service.
We have been overwhelmed by the ongoing support from our customers and community, which continues to grow. With Andy now at the helm, Love Orchids has been working hard to enhance the customer experience. We have refreshed our branding and website, improved our packaging and delivery process, and expanded our product ranges to offer even more beautiful orchids to our customers.
Our family business has always been built on a love for growing and nurturing plants, but most importantly, it has been about sharing that love with others. Whether it’s through providing high-quality orchids or offering guidance on their care, we have always believed in putting our customers first.
Thank you for being part of our story. We couldn’t have done it without you, and we look forward to many more years of bringing joy, one orchid at a time!
With love,
