The team at Tauranga based Arrange Floral Design pride themselves on their reputation for creative, jaw dropping flower bouquets and arrangements. But even their considerable experience in creating unique flower designs does not yet equate with the age of a recent floral discovery - a 3,000-year-old pressed flower was among a collection of spectacular bronze-age finds in Lancashire last year. 

The pristine thistle flower appears to have been deliberately arranged inside the hollow end of an axe handle and buried, as part of a ritual offering that included weapons, jewellery and ornaments. 

Dr Ben Roberts, a lecturer at Durham University and the British Museum’s former curator of European bronze age collections, described the arranged flower as unique for an offering of its time. 

Flowers have been found in earlier graves, but, by the time this collection is thought to have been buried, people were being cremated and their ashes scattered – a process that would have destroyed flowers. 

Though the flower is a unique find, similar discoveries have been made in Ireland and Scotland, Roberts said. 

Brendon Wilkins, an archaeologist and the project director, described the flower as a “tremendous” find and the variety of other objects as significant. 

A coroner now decides whether the flower can be officially designated as treasure before it and the other contents are offered to local or national museums. Durham University described the flower find as “spectacular and significant”.

If you are looking to buy fresh flowers online at after free flower delivery in Tauranga, go to Arrange Floral Design and take advantage of their great products and services.