We popped along to Cardiff Bay to see what all the fuss was about with the new flower vending machine at The Red Dragon Centre. Coincidentally, it also happened to be our 2nd wedding anniversary, so I thought, why not give it a go?
Now, the idea of buying flowers from a vending machine doesn’t exactly scream romance at first. Let’s be honest, it makes you think of last-minute petrol station bunches, the sort you pick up in a panic when you’ve forgotten a birthday or an anniversary. But after trying it out, I take it all back.
The flowers are kept inside refrigerated lockers, a bit like an Amazon collection locker, but with one big difference, you can see exactly what’s inside before you buy. That means you can browse through the variety of bouquets and actually choose the one that catches your eye.
There was plenty of choice too, with multiples of the same kind available. I ended up picking a blue bouquet because the colours reminded me of our wedding flowers.
At £18.49, the price felt fair for what you get, especially compared to supermarket flowers, and certainly better than the dreaded last-minute garage bunch.
The process couldn’t be simpler:
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Take a look through the lockers.
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Pick the bouquet you want.
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Select the locker number on the screen, tap your card, and the locker door literally pops open.
It’s quick, easy, and feels a little bit fun too.
As for the flowers themselves, the quality is decent. The stems are already trimmed to size (so no faffing around at home), and while there’s less foliage than you’d find in a big supermarket bouquet, the flowers are the main event and they looked great.
Would I drive across the city just to buy from this machine? Probably not. But if I was already at The Red Dragon Centre, on a date night, for example, I could absolutely see myself picking up a bouquet on the spot. It feels more like a thoughtful, spontaneous gesture than a rushed, last-minute panic buy.
The machine is the brainchild of Vendiboyz, the same team who brought the Pokémon vending machine to the Centre, and it’s stocked with blooms from a local florist, which makes it all the better.
Emma Constantinou, Marketing Manager at The Red Dragon Centre, summed it up perfectly:
“We’re thrilled to unveil Wales’ very first flower vending machine here at The Red Dragon Centre. It’s a unique and joyful addition that perfectly complements our wide range of dining and entertainment experiences. We love that it supports a local florist while giving our visitors something truly special.”
So, will this catch on? Time will tell. But for now, Wales’ first flower vending machine is a quirky, colourful addition to Cardiff Bay and I have to say, it made our anniversary that little bit more special.
