Val Spicer comes from an horticultural background. Her parents were growers. The love of flowers was always there from her earliest memories. Floristry was the only career choice.

In the 1950's Val married Fred Spicer who was a manager of a local retail business and Val was head florist with a top flower shop in the city of Plymouth. A decision was made early on that they would have their own business. At the age of 23 years, and with a small daughter, Debbie, they purchased with a family loan, a small flower shop in the city centre. Two years later they purchased some land and Fred started up a market garden and began to grow cut flowers for their own shop and other local shops.

In the early 60's, Val had opened two more shops; a second shop in Plymouth, and a new shop in Exeter. A little later they had 2 more additions to their family, Martin and Jay.

In the 70's, Val began to enter national floristry competitions and won the Interflora Florist of the Year and followed by winning many top awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Shows. Invitations came in to demonstrate floristry nationally, and also in Europe. Towards the end of the 70's Val studied and achieved a teachers certificate. This led on to an offer of a full-time lecturer's appointment at the College of Further Education at Plymouth. A manager was taken on to run the business, and Val took up the college post and also became an examiner for the City of Guilds Institute in London.

In the 80's this wider involvement with the flower industry began to make Val think about the florist sundries available for florists. There were many products which were needed but were not being manufactured. She began to design and make prototypes and test them out in her own business.

In 1981 Val decided to move into manufacturing. Her daughter joined her in the business and brought her photography into the marketing side of the business. Val sold the retail business in 1982 and came out of education the following year to devote all her time to manufacturing. Over the next 3 years the business grew steadily and the manufacturing was moved from the small 1000 sq ft unit to larger premises of 4000 sq ft.

In 1987 Jay sold his business and came into the family firm as sales manager, this vital move forged a close link with many of the wholesalers throughout the UK.

In the early 90's Debbie left the family business to get married and start a family. Today she still continues with freelance photography and has assisted with the publishing of the wedding and funeral customer guides.

In 1996 Jay and Val negotiated the purchase and move of the phenolic foam manufacturing plant to Tavistock. Martin joined the firm and took over as general manager of Val Spicer Designs.