‘There’s a dark side to floristry’: are pesticides making workers seriously ill – or worse?

Amy Aniceto, founder of London-based Sweet Frank Flowers, says she wants more information about the risks of her job. Photograph: Sarah Lee/The Guardian

On a cold morning in December 2024, florist Madeline King was on a buying trip to her local wholesaler when a wave of dizziness nearly knocked her over. As rows of roses seemed to rush past her, she tried to focus. She quickly picked the blooms she needed and left.

I’m not doing this any more, she thought.