Sourcing Fairtrade roses
We use on request and for special event the heavenly Fairtrade roses from Tambuzi. The rose paddock is nestled into the foothills of Mount Kenya, which provides the perfect growing conditions for the scented roses
The roses are grown on a Fairtrade farm in Kenya to the highest of quality. The heavenly scented Kenyan garden roses are available all year long. Their large heads, full petals and intoxicating fragrance make them truly unforgettable
Today, Tambuzi has 25 hectares of roses and summer flowers at its original Burguret site, and complimentary production of sustainable forestry, bee keeping, and livestock. Tambuzi is a company driven not just for profit but also with a goal of having beneficial social impact in all its activities. The strap line ‘stop and smell the roses’ sends a simple message – be always mindful of what you do and enjoy it.
The company considers the welfare of its employees and the neighbouring communities to be part of its strength. Tambuzi’s good practices ensure that we mitigate potential negative impacts on the environment. Like farms around the world, this is the place that Tim, Maggie and their children call home, and, as such, is so much more than just a business.
The farm works closely with local communities Tambuzi’s good practices ensure that any potential negative impacts on the environment are minimised. There is no need for any artificial heat or light and over 60% of the daytime use of power for water pumps and cold stores is from the farms own solar plant – this actually has a great impact on the carbon footprint and massively reduces diesel use.
Tambuzi use a dam to water the flowers. The dam fills during rainy season from a river via furrows, which only flow when the river floods. This method means that the river (which flows from the slops of Mount Kenya through the farm and to the communities below) is never pumped from, ensuring the community’s water supply is never affected. The farm receives 50% of the annual water needed to irrigate by capturing and storing water that lands on the greenhouses. In addition to these water collection methods, the packing shed uses water collected from bore holes. To ensure that the roses are irrigated efficiently, using as little water as possible, water is fed to them in drips.