Why We Don’t Use AI for Our Pictures – Just Real Flowers, Real Florists, and a Lot of Laughing

Let’s be honest — in a world full of filters, editing apps and “AI-generated everything”, it’s getting harder to know what’s real anymore. But here at Townend Florist in Sheffield, we like to keep things honest, human, and very much real.

When you browse our website or scroll through our social media, every single photo you see is of flowers we’ve actually made. Not designed by a computer, not dreamed up by AI — just real flowers, created by real people (usually with one of us balancing on a chair trying to find the right light!).

We’re florists, not photographers, but we do our best to capture the beauty of what we make — even if it takes 100 attempts and a lot of giggles to get that one perfect shot.

All Our Pictures Are the Real Deal

Every image you see on the Townend Florist website is of a genuine bouquet made by us in our Sheffield flower shop. No AI renderings. No stock photography. No sneaky edits to make the flowers look something they’re not.

We believe that if you’re ordering flowers online, you should be able to see the kind of work your florist actually does — not a computer’s interpretation of what flowers could look like.

So when you see a bouquet on our website, that’s exactly what we’ve made for a real customer, photographed by us (sometimes in the shop, sometimes in the window, occasionally balanced on a stool). It’s a snapshot of our own creativity and craft.

Sometimes We Use Canva — But Only to Blur the Background

Now, we’ll be completely transparent — sometimes we use Canva. But only to blur a background or tidy up the edges a little.

We’re florists, not professional photographers, so we use Canva simply to make the flowers stand out more clearly — not to alter them. No fake blooms, no digital magic, no sneaky enhancements.

The bouquets themselves are always untouched and true to life. Every petal, every leaf, every stem is exactly how it looked when we created it. We just like the focus to be where it should be — on the flowers, not the messy workbench behind them.

The “Altered” Backgrounds Aren’t What You Think

If you’ve ever looked at one of our photos and thought, “that background looks a bit… edited,” you’re not wrong — but you might be surprised to know what you’re seeing.

That pop of colour behind the flowers? That’s not AI. It’s usually a bit of coloured cellophane hanging in our shop window. We discovered by accident that it creates a really lovely backdrop, especially when the Sheffield sunshine hits it (which, admittedly, isn’t all that often).

Between the coloured wrap, a phone camera, and a bit of creative flair, we sometimes end up with photos that look like they’ve been edited — but we promise, they’re not. They’re just the result of Louisa, Kathy and Chloe experimenting with light, reflection, and the occasional bit of chaos.

We might not be professional photographers, but we are pretty good at arranging flowers — and after 100 snaps and a lot of laughs, we usually end up with a picture that does our work justice.

We Like to Keep It Real — Even in Our Product Photos

One thing you’ll notice on our product pages is that we often include “raw” pictures of our bouquets — like one of us holding the flowers, or a close-up of the stems before wrapping.

That’s deliberate. We want you to see that the flowers you’re ordering are genuinely ours — designed, made, and photographed by our own hands.

Those “behind-the-scenes” shots show real scale, texture, and style. You’ll never see the same bouquet twice because we make everything fresh for each order. So when you see a bunch of us in the photos, it’s just our way of saying, “yep, this is really us.”

Florist Choice Bouquets — Same Day Delivery with a Twist

Let’s talk about Florist Choice bouquets — one of our most popular options and a big part of our same-day delivery service across Sheffield, Rotherham and Chesterfield.

Here’s how it works: we receive a fresh flower delivery every single day, filled with seasonal blooms in the best condition. When someone orders a Florist Choice bouquet, we handpick the freshest flowers available and create something completely unique.

Because same-day orders are short notice, we can’t always promise exact flower types — but we can promise beautiful combinations and colours that reflect the mood you’re after.

We usually offer options like:

• Pretty pastels — soft pinks, lilacs, creams and subtle greens

• Bright and vibrant — bold oranges, purples, yellows and reds

• Classic whites and greens — timeless and elegant

No matter which you choose, your bouquet will always be handcrafted, fresh, and unmistakably Townend Florist. Our same-day deliveries are designed to make someone’s day — whether it’s a last-minute gift or an unexpected surprise.

Next-Day Delivery — For Specific Bouquets and Special Requests

If you’d like a specific bouquet with guaranteed flowers, like our Purple Haze bouquet (which includes those gorgeous lilac roses everyone loves), then you’ll want to choose next-day delivery.

For next-day orders, we buy those particular flowers overnight to make sure they arrive in perfect condition the following morning. That means we can promise exact blooms and colours — ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, or when you’ve fallen in love with a specific design on our website.

You can also pre-order bouquets for a certain date, whether it’s for delivery or collection in Sheffield, Rotherham or Chesterfield. That way, you can plan ahead and know your flowers will be ready right when you need them.

Louisa’s Secret (That Isn’t Really a Secret)

Now, we’re all about honesty — so here’s a little behind-the-scenes fact. Louisa, who owns Townend Florist, is dyslexic. Writing doesn’t come naturally to her in the way that making flowers does.

So yes, she does use AI to help with spelling, grammar, and getting words to make sense. But that’s not a bad thing — it’s just a tool that helps her share what she loves. She might use technology to tidy up her words, but the creativity, the designs, and the heart behind every bouquet are all hers.

Louisa always says she’s a florist, not a writer — she works with her hands, not a keyboard. So if a few words sound fancy, that’s probably the AI polishing things up. But the ideas, stories and passion behind them? 100% Louisa (and probably proofread by Kathy or Chloe over a cup of tea).

Why Being Real Matters to Us

In a world that’s full of computer-generated everything, we think there’s something special about being human. We don’t want our customers to see perfect, polished stock images — we want you to see the real thing.

You should know exactly what kind of work we do, what our flowers actually look like, and who’s behind them. That’s why we’ll never swap to AI images. We’d rather show you a slightly wonky photo of something real than a perfect image of something fake.

When you order from Townend Florist Sheffield, you’re not supporting a faceless brand or an algorithm — you’re supporting real people doing what they love. You’re supporting a small, independent business that still believes flowers should feel personal.

A Few Final Petals of Wisdom

So next time you see a photo on our website and think, “That’s a lovely bouquet,” just know — it’s real. It existed. One of us made it, photographed it, and sent it out into the world with care.

We’ll keep making our own designs, taking our own photos (no matter how many takes it takes), and sharing the joy of real flowers with real people.

Because that’s who we are — a bunch of florists from Sheffield who love creating, laughing, and bringing beauty into people’s lives… one real bouquet at a time.

Order online at Townend Florist Sheffield for beautiful, handmade bouquets and flower delivery across Sheffield, Rotherham and Chesterfield. Whether you’re after same-day flowers, a pre-order for a special date, or a florist-choice surprise, we’ll make something fresh, unique, and full of heart — no AI required.