A life
with flowers.

Michael's first early experience was to gain greater knowledge of the fruit and vegetable trade. He also wanted to incorporate plants and flowers to expand his knowledge. After attending several courses covering all aspects of fruit and vegetable storage, temperatures, logistics and sustainability in 1991 he consulted with Veronica at The Flower and Plant Association in London's Covent Garden Market to investigate floristry courses. She mentioned a new course run by a florist called Jane Packer which Michael then attended. On completion, Michael couldn't wait to share his new found skills and opened his own stall selling bunches of UK grown flowers at Greenwich Market in spring 1992. His focus was on creating stylish bunches with vintage charm.  During this time Michael received a booking to design wedding flowers for The Painted Hall In the old Naval College set in historic Greenwich, a grade 1 listed building, and an amazing venue for his first wedding. Word of mouth recommendations kept flooding in and he continued to design solely for weddings.

By chance, in 1996, he went to visit a friend on an Islington side street and 3 doors up stood an empty unit. There was a rare bookshop, a photographic library, a beauticians and a haircutters in addition to two pubs! At the end of the road was the head office for Thames Water and the amazing Sadler's Wells Theatre in need of repair.  He made a few enquiries and took the big step to go it alone at 21 Arlington Way.

In 2007 Michael relocated to Suffolk whilst continuing to work in London and all over the UK. Over the next few years Michael was shortlisted for a world event, trained several students and worked closely with Waitrose, which led to being shortlisted for a concession in their flagship store, John Lewis, Oxford Street. With this new lease of life for retail and a fantastic brand TWIG Michael decided to look for new retail premises closer to home. In 2011 Michael found a store in an area of Ipswich on the verge of regeneration, exactly the same as his humble beginnings.

The Twig logo was a Finnish degree project and designed by Sarah Jane Leavy - a very close friend of Michael’s since the late 80's. The merchandising concept for Twig was to display flowers and plants on vintage furniture with swathes of fabric on glass tables. The G Plan furniture was from Michael's parents. The Silver Cross pram was his and his sisters and the suitcases were family hand me downs.

In 2018 the lease for Queen Street expired - retail was changing. The only loading bay with 24 hour access was now on King Street - an obvious choice was to move there. 7 King Street had exactly the same layout as his first store in London and Michael fell in love with the overall ambience of the street and area. Twig at King street was filled to the brim with plants, flowers and created an urban jungle Zen like feeling to it. A loyalty scheme was set up in 2019 to reward your continued support. Now, you can earn points with every purchase, unlocking exclusive benefits. The pandemic transformed the way we experience retail. Twig implemented a convenient booking system for timed appointments & deliveries, ensuring you get your purchases exactly when you need them.

In 2024 the lease for King Street expired and the digital age opened doors to incredible collaborations. Prestigious brands like Rolls Royce have requested our services, impressed by Twig’s online presence, for joint projects. These collaborations bring their products together with Michael’s floral creations.

As the way people buy flowers changes, Michael Pooley Flowers continues to adapt. Embracing the digital world and the use of AI has led to unique projects like designing the flowers for Premier League footballer Samy & Chanel Morsy’s wedding, a collaboration that wouldn't have been possible without word of mouth recommendations and digital communication.

Twig was always the retail brand: short, snappy and easy to remember. Michael Pooley Flowers, established in 1996, has always been the business behind it. To keep things clear as the work develops, the Twig brand is now being sunsetted and everything is coming together under Michael Pooley Flowers.

As we move towards 2030, the way people buy and the requests from clients continue to change. The focus is on bespoke floral commissions, subscriptions, flowers for private homes and businesses, weddings and events, alongside garden maintenance and smaller garden designs.

Whether the request is for a vase of flowers, a special occasion or ongoing care for a garden, the approach remains personal: thoughtful design, careful work and attention to the setting.