This is an ethos which fits perfectly with sustainable retail objectives.

An appreciation of our family’s wildflower heritage began a few years ago with an old cardboard dress box, which opened up to reveal a large collection of great-great-grandmother Sophia’s delicate watercolours.  Having always lived in the countryside and loved wildflowers, we could not resist bringing them to life for others to share.  Together with her father Richard’s 1833 Flora of Oxfordshire, they are the inspiration for the present-day designs and homeware products of our family business.  Initially selling at garden and country fairs, we have evolved over the last six years into a wholesale-only business.

On average, every British county is home to about 950 native species of flowers – but native wildflowers are being lost at a rate of up to one species per year, per county.  Clovers, vetches, and violets are all under threat and much-loved cornfield wildflowers are diminishing, including cornflower, scarlet pimpernel and red field poppy.  Our countryside is becoming less colourful and, more importantly, a less viable habitat for wildlife.  The challenge presented by evolving agricultural practices, increased development, and climate change, is real.

Plantlife (the charity behind No Mow May) estimate that a third of British wild plants are of conservation concern, with 45 species critically endangered.  80 species are already classed as extinct – just one example is the the downy hemp nettle.  Once very common and described as “a handsome plant” in Richard’s notes, it was last recorded here in 1975.

 Right: Hemp-nettle painted by Sophia in 1902

Raising awareness

Our approach is to share Sophia’s delightful wildflower illustrations through the medium of high quality and enduring products.  This means that her art lives on and, at the same time, promotes and supports wildflower conservation.  Everyone can make a difference, even if in just a small way – as Dolly Parton put it, “wildflowers don’t care where they grow.”

Many retailers are also rising to the challenge, adopting sustainable practices, sponsoring charities, supporting local initiatives and, where possible, protecting and restoring aspects of our wildflower heritage on their own land.  Who can’t be moved by the sight of wildflowers?  Adding this theme to a retail offering can be financially viable and generate additional income.

Making it worthwhile

As a family business with a very personal approach, we design and develop all our products ourselves, working with British makers and materials such as English fine bone china, linen and papers.  We aim to achieve the highest standards for our products, with the attention to detail that comes from personal responsibility for our work.

Choosing British makers means that we can easily visit them, not just to ensure quality, but also to develop the close working relationships that make any business a pleasure.  We are proud to have achieved Made In Britain accreditation – even our textile labels are woven in Cornwall!

Left: Quality checking our fine bone china

This comes at a price, and buying British can be expensive when compared to the global competition – but we’ve found that keeping it local and being proud of our heritage is a really positive encouragement for customers.  The latest Made in Britain survey shows that 50% of customers and nearly 60% of businesses prefer to buy UK products – and that trend is rising.

British and overseas visitors are often looking for special mementos of their visit; both they and our retail partners appreciate the family story and including our products in their shop enhances customer experience, whether they are UK residents or tourist visitors.  We love sharing our story and are delighted to be found in a variety of retail outlets from village shops to city centre stores.  Paying a bit more for British products is accepted, and our export sales to Europe and the USA indicate that they are well received elsewhere, too.

Promoting our heritage, supporting independent business, and increasing awareness of our wonderful British wildflowers – we are investing in our wildflower heritage.

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 ICC Birmingham | 22–24 February 2027

Every cultural venue has stories to tell—and its retail offer can help those stories travel home with visitors. This February, Sophia Davenport will be at the Cultural Enterprises Conference & Trade Show, and we would love you to come and meet us.

Where culture and commerce come together

Organised by the Association for Cultural Enterprises, the event brings together people working across museums, galleries, heritage attractions, arts organisations and other cultural venues. It is a lively forum for sharing ideas, learning from sector experts and finding practical ways to strengthen commercial income while supporting cultural purpose.

Alongside the conference programme, the Trade Show offers a focused opportunity to discover distinctive products and essential services, meet suppliers who understand the sector, and develop partnerships that can enrich the visitor experience and boost secondary spend.

Retail with a story worth sharing

Sophia Davenport is a family business built around an extraordinary creative inheritance: delicate wildflower watercolours painted by our ancestor Sophia. We have reimagined this archive across a collection of high-quality British-made homeware and gifts, combining genuine provenance with lasting usefulness and visual appeal.

Our range includes English fine bone china, kitchen and dining textiles, pure glycerine soap, stationery, art prints and coordinated gift ideas. The collection is particularly suited to venues looking for products with an authentic British story, a connection to art and nature, and the flexibility to sit within exhibitions, seasonal displays or thoughtfully curated permanent ranges.

Let’s talk about your visitors

No two cultural organisations—or their audiences—are the same. Meet us to discuss your venue, your retail priorities and the stories you want your shop to tell. We can introduce you to the collection, suggest complementary product groupings and explore ideas that reflect your visitors, setting and commercial goals.

Join us at the ICC Birmingham from 22–24 February 2027. Come and see the Sophia Davenport collection, hear the story behind the designs and start a conversation about creating a retail offer your visitors will remember long after their visit.

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Tuesday 18 May | Cranmore Park Exhibition Centre, Solihull

If you could refresh your gift offer, discover new suppliers and place orders—all in one focused day—wouldn’t that be time well spent? On Tuesday 18 May 2027, Sophia Davenport will be exhibiting at INDX Gift Edit, and we would be delighted to welcome you.

A show designed for getting business done

INDX Gift Edit is a commercially curated, buyer-focused trade event connecting leading suppliers with retailers from across the UK and Ireland. Its one-day format makes it easy to explore a sharp selection of high-quality products across homeware, stationery, food and drink, fashion accessories, toys, artisan crafts and more—without the distractions of an oversized show.
Created “by buyers, for buyers”, the show offers the time and space to have useful conversations, compare ranges and make confident buying decisions. Registered retail buyers can also enjoy free entry, free onsite parking and complimentary refreshments at Cranmore Park.

Find gifts that earn their place on the shelf

Sophia Davenport brings together elegant design, genuine provenance and everyday usefulness. Our distinctive wildflower artwork began as watercolours painted by our ancestor Sophia and now gives a coherent identity to British-made gifts with a story customers can understand and share.

Come and see our English fine bone china, kitchen and dining textiles, pure glycerine soap, stationery and art prints. The coordinated designs work beautifully together, while individual products can be selected to suit different price points, spaces and customers—making the collection easy to merchandise, easy to gift and easy to add to an existing offer.

Bring your buying list

Whether you are planning a seasonal refresh, looking for British-made lines or searching for a new supplier with a personal approach, let’s talk. Tell us what sells well for you, what is missing from your range and the customers you want to delight—we will help you explore the most relevant options.

Make Tuesday 18 May 2027 your day for fresh gift inspiration. Come and meet Sophia Davenport at INDX Gift Edit, Cranmore Park Exhibition Centre, Solihull. We look forward to showing you the collection—and helping you find products that feel right for your shop.

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