13/12/2025
Ali Troup has spent more than twenty years in the floristry world, working everywhere from Melbourne to London before settling into her studio at The Mill in Castlemaine.
She’s seen the industry up close, warts and all, and she doesn’t sugar-coat the reality that floristry is a significant polluter.
Half the flowers sold in Australia come from overseas, carrying massive carbon miles, heavy chemical treatments, and piles of unnecessary packaging.
On top of that, the tools of the trade are overwhelmingly plastic, from floral foam to glossy papers, ribbons, tapes and cellophane, with far too many florists simply tossing the lot into general waste without a second thought.
Handpicked was her answer to that problem – a sustainable alternative for customers who want beautiful arrangements without the environmental guilt, and a way to show the wider industry that there’s a better path.
Ali’s whole philosophy is about working with the environment rather than against it, proving that small, thoughtful changes aren’t just achievable, but essential if the industry wants a future.
Her approach is grounded in simple, practical habits. She avoids floral foam and other single-use plastics wherever possible, choosing Australian-grown flowers and favouring local, seasonal blooms.
Every arrangement is presented in compostable wrapping, with clever methods used to keep stems wet without relying on plastic bags or foam.
All green waste is separated for composting, with paper, glass, unavoidable plastics and general rubbish sorted properly so that whatever can be reused or recycled actually is.
And at every step, she works closely with local growers while helping customers understand why sustainable floristry matters.
It’s thoughtful, it’s practical, and it’s exactly the kind of shift that shows how a creative industry can thrive without trashing the planet.
Ali’s proving every day that ethical floristry isn’t a niche – it’s the direction the whole sector needs to move in! 💐
