A conversation with Jessica Fellas, flower grower and owner of independent florist Jipola.

3 Min Read

“It dawned on me; the importance of not only creating something that is everlasting but also sustainable”.
Jessica Fellas

Have you ever considered the seasonality of your flowers? Where they have been grown or how long they will last? Jessica Fellas, flower grower and owner of Jipola considers all of these things when providing fresh and dried bouquets and flowers for her clients and customers.

Coming from a green-fingered family, Jessica dates her affiliation with flowers back to when she would make rose petal perfume in milk bottles with her mum but it was only after being a teacher for ten years that she began her floristry career. “I began working for large scale events, promotional parties and making functioning floral headwear for people”.

“I started making headpieces and going around festivals in the summer. I’d use dried flowers so the creations would last and people that bought them could wear them throughout the whole festival”.

“I’m very conscious about my carbon footprint and
re-educating people on what is available”.
Jessica Fellas

It was while Jessica was working the festival season that she realised the importance of creating something both everlasting and sustainable which transitioned her into growing her own flowers to supply and sell. “My brand mission for Jipola is to be able to provide Norfolk grown flowers seasonally and obviously that means during the winter months nothing is growing”. Typically during the winter months, florists rely on imports, but dried flowers can last for six months minimum so it’s Jessica’s aim to put dried flowers at the forefront of what is available, “I want people to avoid getting flowers from Kenya or Ethiopia or half way around the world, I’m very conscious about my carbon footprint and re-educating people on what is available”.

“I would really like to be able to share that with people that want to learn and experience firsthand what it is like to grow”.
Jessica Fellas

Jipola offers a wide range of floristry services, weddings, events, styling, and installations. Customers are able to order dried and fresh flowers online and there is workshops running throughout the year. Coming into summer 2023 Jessica will offer workshops in the garden where you can learn about the growing side of things as well as how to cut and prepare your fresh flowers straight from your own garden.

“The future for Jipola is to grow the garden and expand it so I’m able to provide larger quantities of dried and fresh flowers offering fresh subscription services I also think it’s really important that people are able to access the knowledge and understanding and the great gift that I have as a flower grower, being immersed into the natural world and with my hands in the soil I would really like to be able to share that with people”.

Learn more about Jipola as well as shop fresh flowers and dried bouquets here: www.jipola.com