Gerbera
Garvinea
“The gerbera for people who think they don't like gerberas. Smaller, warmer, and surprisingly lovely in the right colours.”
— ROSIE
Rosie's Take
I know gerberas divide people. They've been the default petrol station flower for so long that serious flower lovers tend to dismiss them as unsophisticated. And honestly, the huge, neon-coloured, cellophane-wrapped ones are hard to love. But 'Garvinea' gerberas are a different thing entirely.
These are smaller, more refined, with a natural daisy charm that the giant varieties lost somewhere along the way. The colour range is warmer too — terracotta, soft peach, dusty rose, warm coral — not those shouty magentas and electric oranges that feel like they belong in a cartoon.
What I appreciate about gerberas is their honesty. They're cheerful without being complicated. They last well in the vase — a week easily, often longer — and they're cheap enough to buy on a whim, which is exactly how some flowers should be bought.
I keep coming back to them in the cooler months when I want something bright on the table but don't want to spend a fortune. A handful of 'Garvinea' types in a simple jar — the kind with the dark centres and those slightly furry stems — can genuinely lift a grey Tuesday. Not every flower needs to be a rare variety with a backstory. Sometimes you just want something that makes you smile.
Where to Buy
If you want to try gerbera for yourself, here's where I'd point you:
“123 Flowers do a really decent mixed gerbera bunch — I grab them when I want colour without overthinking it.”
Order This Flower →“Clare Florist mix gerberas into several of their bunches and the colour combinations are usually thoughtful rather than random.”
Order This Flower →✿ From the folklore cabinet
Gerberas are named after the German botanist Traugott Gerber, which feels like an unfairly serious name for such a cheerful flower. They're native to South Africa, and in the language of flowers they represent innocence and purity — though I think they just represent 'it's Wednesday and I fancied something colourful.'
