THE seeds of florist Rachel Higgins' love of nature were sown during her childhood on a 27-acre farm at Glendon Brook, outside of Singleton.
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Her grandmother, Peggy Sharman, worked at Wallsend Nursery most of her life and Ms Higgins started work as a florist soon after she left school, now specialising in wild or native flowers.
So when she heard about the opportunity to use her second busiest day of the year - Valentine's Day - to help the land recover and regenerate after drought and fire, she put her secateurs down and her hand up.
"I thought 'I'm definitely going to jump on board with that'," Ms Higgins, 32, said.
"It was just being able to do a little part to give back to the environment and use my business privilege and power for good."
Ms Higgins, who opened Floweresque in New Lambton almost four years ago, has signed up to new movement Bloom Aid.
It involves flower growers, distributors, studio and retail florists from around the world donating from key flower events such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day to a charity working in a natural habitat facing trauma post-natural disaster.
Ms Higgins said $2 from every Valentine's Day sale - including all made in her shop, pre-ordered and picked up, and deliveries made - will be donated to Landcare Australia.
"There's been lots of money and donations towards the people and the animals affected, but it's also really important to make sure we give back to the land that is home to our people and animals," she said.
Ms Higgins said many growers had seen crops suffer due to drought and fire and some had crops washed away, their greenhouses blow down or lost power in recent rain.
"A lot of people tend to be opposed to Valentine's Day and believe it's a commercial hoo-ha but this might be an incentive to look at doing flowers this year.
"You can support a good cause at the same time as spoiling your loved ones with flowers - it's a win win."
Meanwhile fifth generation vigneron Alisdair Tulloch, whose parents set up the now carbon-neutral Keith Tulloch Wine in Pokolbin, encouraged couples and anyone seeking a getaway to head to the Hunter Valley.
"It's been a real struggle through the last 12 months, particularly with how hot the summer has been," Mr Tulloch said.
"It's been the hottest and driest here on record.
"But this rain has transformed the Hunter Valley in just a few days. There's green grass in the fields, the vineyards are picking up and look perky and bright.
"People here would love to see guests while the vineyards are looking beautiful.
"Visitors should come out and see how much the landscape can transform and how much rain can rejuvenate a community."
Other florists participating in Bloom Aid's campaign include The Flower Shop Dungog and Bee's Blooms, Cooks Hill.
Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
