iflorist Magazine

ifloristSummer 2006 / £2.95

UK £2.95

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iflorist_final 10/5/06 11:18 am

They say change is as good as a rest and who are we to argue?

The magazine for florists has undergone an image change as it continuallystrives to offer a fresh and forward-thinking outlook on the floristry industry.

Our focus in the summer edition is weddings. While a wedding without flow-ers is like a birthday without cake, surveys have shown that flowers make up apaltry 3% of a couple's average wedding spend.

While this may appear shocking, or even depressing, fear not. There is plentyof room for florists to capitalise on the wedding market and to wow the manyblushing yet nervous brides-to-be who walk through your door.

In our four-page wedding feature we offer tips on how to make sure you arefully prepared for wedding business at all times - from the initial phone call rightup to the big day itself.

And our step-by-step guide shows you how to create the perfect bridal bou-quet in an easy-to-follow sequence.

We gain an insight into the life of Anita van Niewenhoven, who works in thetest centre at Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, despite an allergy to flowers and meetAaron MacManus, set to become a floristry star of the future.

Hope you all enjoy a busy wedding season.

Fiona Ritchie [email protected]

IntroductionWelcome to iflorist summer 2006 edition

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NewsExpert eye Urban floristryRural floristryWedding featureIndustry focus: a flower tester Step by step guide to creating a bridal bouquetifloristTop internet tipsBudding starEvents guideNew products

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ContentsEditor: Fiona Ritchie 01254 [email protected]

Art direction and design: Northpoint Creative

Editorial: Catherine Prest, Lauren Jones and Tim Aldred

Advertising Manager: Stephen Bolton 01254 [email protected]

iflorist is written, designed and produced by NorthpointPublishing in association with iflorist.

Northpoint Publishing, East Park Lodge,East Park Road, Blackburn BB1 8DWT 01254 297875 F 01254 295581E [email protected]

©2006 Northpoint Publishing Ltd

Front cover: Juliet, David Austin Roses

iflorist_final 10/5/06 11:18 am Page 3

A surprise VIP guest put in an appearance at the IPM in Essen,Germany, creating something of a stir amongst the stands.

The legend that is Barbie turned out to support the Flower Councilof Holland's chrysanthemum project partnership, for the first in aseries of innovative marketing ventures set to take place over the nextthree years.

The partnership, which wasformed with chrysanthemum growersand breeders to revitalise the tradi-tional image of the flower, aims toreposition it as a refreshing andcolourful year round bloom.

Taking style chameleon Barbie asthe theme for their stand at the inter-national trade fair, the partnershippushed back the boundaries,demonstrating a variety of unusualdesign, style and colour ideas forchrysanthemums.

And Barbie's modelling services proved to be nothing if not colour-ful, imaginatively displaying the fresh, spring-like colours on trend forthis season.

Colour plays a big part in everyday life, even subconsciously, butcolour symbolism and associationis particularly important in floristry.

Different colours evoke certainfeelings so it is important torecognise this when puttingtogether bouquets and orders fordifferent occasions.

Green is calming and is recog-nised as bringing peace and tran-quillity. Red, on the other hand,can show anger, love and passion.

Flowers also have differentmeanings - white chrysanthe-mums show support and cherryblossoms or amaryllis are a sign offriendship.

Also important when selectingflowers is looking at whethercolours contrast or complementeach other.

All this simple, yet worthwhile,information can be found on abasic colour wheel or on the newmini colour chart, developed by

the Flower Council of Hollandand the Royal HorticulturalSociety.

Along with the mini chart, theFlower Council has a new inter-active online feature called the“Colour Experience” that can beaccessed through its website atwww.flowercouncil.org.

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Colour the mood Barbie blossoms at the IPM

News

An annual survey has finally con-firmed what those of us in the indus-try have known all along - thatfloristry is among the UK's mostenjoyable professions.

The City and Guilds study of1,300 people revealed that florists,beauticians and hairdressers scoremost highly on the job satisfactionindex.

With lawyers, civil servants andpharmacists scoring the lowest ofall occupations, it appears that theability to socialise and meet newpeople while at work is a major fac-tor in our professional happiness.

Those in skilled vocational jobsalso tend to be much more contentwith their work-life balance thanwhite collar professionals.

Two people who know all aboutthe job satisfaction experienced byflorists are Gillian Hardman andbusiness partner Kay Hall.

Before the two left their stressfuljobs to retrain as florists, Gillianworked in IT while Kay was ateacher.

They set up Hardman & HallContemporary Florists in Accrington,

Lancashire, just over a year ago andhave never looked back.

Kay said: “I have never had suchjob satisfaction as I have now. ThatMonday morning feeling has beencompletely reversed and I look for-ward to coming into work every day.

“I know I speak for both myselfand Gillian when I say that wecouldn't be happier.”

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The joy of floristry

Can't wait, won't waitIt's a fact - women are tired of wait-ing for that special someone tobring them flowers.

According to a recent survey, amassive 92 per cent of womenbelieve that the time has come tostop thinking of flowers as gifts andgo out and buy their own.

The research, funded by theFlower Council of Holland, comeshot on the heels of the 'Why Wait?Buy Your Own!' advertising cam-paign, which featured on TV, radioand the internet in September andOctober of last year.

Cost ing over £700,000, the

adverts were coordinated by theFlowers and Plants Association totarget infrequent flower buyers andmake flowers an integral part ofeveryday life.

Findings also indicated that 60per cent of people use the internetto locate information on flowers and

florists, highlighting the importanceof the web as a promotional tool.

Now more than ever, a well-designed, easy-to-use website canmake all the difference to florists'businesses, helping them to com-pete in an ever-expanding, twenty-four hour marketplace.

Picture of happiness: florists Gillian Hardman and Kay Hall, of Hardman & Hall, Lancashire


What colours should florists be working with this season?

Whites, creams, pale pinks, pale coffee, and soft limes with accents of

turquoise and blues.

What flowers do you like to have at home?

In my home, I like to have seasonal flowers - hyacinths for spring, peonies

for summer, lilies and phlox for early autumn and foliages and berries for

winter, with white roses for Christmas.

What is the busiest day in your calendar?

Being freelance, it could be absolutely any day of the year. It depends pure-

ly on the event.

If you could decorate any venue in the world where would it be?

It would have to be Glamis Castle in Scotland because I love doing really

interesting, large designs, and I think you could have flowers dripping from

everywhere - especially if money was no object!

What is your biggest floristry bloomer?

I once took an order over the telephone and addressed the person as 'sir',

as they had a deep voice, only to find out when delivering the order that it

was actually a lady!

Any seeds of wisdom?

Don't be afraid to be adventurous in your work and, above all, enjoy what

you do as it shows in the end result. Also, always remember to keep smil-

ing, because everyone will smile with you!

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Expert eyeLegendary designer Anita Holmes who last year created the Eden Project

design at the Chelsea Flower Show and in January designed the Covent

Garden Market stand at the SFE 06

How did your life as a florist begin?

When I was 14, I had a Saturday job working for a greengrocer. After a shorttime, he opened a florist's in the shop next door and I quickly becamehooked. Unfortunately, there wasn't a permanent job for me in the florist's,but I was forever having to be prised away from the flowers. After leavingschool, I wanted to train as a florist but, being the 1970's, the regionalopportunities were very limited. For that reason, I applied to The ConstanceSpry School of Floristry in London, and was eventually awarded theirDiploma.

Who or what influences your designs?

I love the work of Belgian florist Daniel Ost, German florist Gregor Lerschand Swedish florist Per Benjamin, but I think my work is often influencedby simply seeing a perfect bloom and imagining how I could use it tobest effect.

What is your most memorable moment?

There are almost too many to mention, but I've managed to narrow it downto three. The first was being asked to design and dress the Covent GardenMarket Authority stand for IFTEX in 1996. This was to be my first exhibitionstand and I was so excited, but so nervous that I drove through a set of redtraffic lights on the way home from the meeting! The second was beingawarded the Society of Floristry Training Award and going to the AmericanInstitute of Floral Designers in San Francisco. The third would have to begaining my National Diploma from the Society of Floristry.

What is your favourite flower, and why?

White peonies are my absolute favourites. In fact, I love any bloom with anice perfume because I think flowers should be fragrant. Unfortunately, notall of them are.

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There is an astounding selection offlowers and plants on the market,so to make life easy, we have iden-tified three key names to look out forthis summer.

•Spathiphyllum, more commonly known as 'So Sweet', is fast becoming one of the mostpopular plants on the market.

•An exclusive rose with first-rate features, the Rosa Bordeauxhas been a resounding success since its recent introduction to the market.

•Papaver nudicaule, or Poppy Bussana, was awarded 'most promising novelty' at last year's FloraHolland flower auction, and is set to be another buddingsuccess story for 2006.

Floristry students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their cre-ative skills and originality as they take part in the Skills Challenge 2006.

The Floristry competition, organised by Deborah Richardson, headof floristry at Writtle College, Essex, consists of five regional competi-tions, to run throughout May and a national final to be held in July.

Skills Challenge 2006 is a framework of regional and national com-petitions in over 70 skill areas, designed to raise standards in vocation-al education and training by encouraging students to strive for excel-lence.

All competitors have been given an inspirational theme and askedto create three items to be judged by a panel drawn from the industry,colleges and training providers.

Budding talent sought

A competition celebrating the enthusiasm, skills and achievements ofthe UK's blind gardeners will take place in July.

A distinguished panel of judges, including leading gardening writerand broadcaster Pippa Greenwood, will combine their professionalexpertise to select the winners of the competition, for which the clos-ing date is July 31.

The competition will be run by Thrive, a new national gardening clubfor the blind and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

Blind gardeners show

off their skills

The National Autistic Society has been chosen as the beneficiary part-ner charity for the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Charity GalaPreview.

Organised by the Royal Horticultural Society, the Charity GalaPreview, on July 3, is set in the historic grounds of the magnificentroyal palace.

The preview gives floristry lovers the opportunity to savour the finestshow gardens and floral masterpieces at the world's largest annualflower show.

Proceeds from the event will go towards expanding services at TheNAS Hayes Independent Hospital in Bristol.

David Richards, NAS director of fundraising, said: “We are thrilledand honoured to have been chosen as the beneficiary charity for thisprestigious event.”

To book your tickets call the RHS on 020 7630 5999, quoting NAS,or log on to www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt/2006/gala.

Charity to benefit

from show

Keep your eyes peeled

Before you had time to even blink,Valentine's and Mothers Daypassed by and on the horizon issummer and another inspiringtheme from the Flower Council ofHolland.

Outside In is the new trend forSummer and the key look is onewhich shows no division betweeninside and out. Exaggerated ele-

ments of nature and a mix of realand artificial are influential.

Ideas for arrangements includerough bundles with rugged foliageand even entire plants with rinsedroots.

Unusual objects can be used tohold arrangements - test tubes canbe filled with compost and flowersand watering cans also make a nicereplacement for a traditional vase -while truly symbolising Outside In.

It is vital to consider colour in thistheme, as a contrast of neutrals withbright accents such as yellow,green, red or blue will add that littlebit extra to the summer effect.

Flowers which are ideal for thistrend are Gladiolus,Chrysanthemums, Helianthus andAlstromeria, with key plants includ-ing Alocasia, Dracaena, Acalyphaand Zantedeschia.

Outside In for summertime


For a florist who specialises in weddings, there can be few better places tobe located than round the corner from one of Britain’s most spectacularmedieval landmarks.

And just a stone’s throw from north-east Staffordshire’s Tutbury Castle sitsAdams Florist, the shop owned by husband and wife team Tim and TinaAdams.

A working florist for over 25 years, Tina trained in London and sold flowerson Elephant and Castle market before moving back to her native Midlandsin 1988.

Since setting up shop in Tutbury four years ago, business has boomed andTina’s choice of location, in this beautiful, semi-rural village near Burton-on-Trent, has really paid off.

In fact, between May and September last year, her six-strong team handledan average of four large weddings every weekend, with additional nuptialson Thursdays and Sundays.

No wonder, then, that she describes weddings as ‘the most stressfulevents you will ever handle’.

“We are very proud of the unique, highly personalised wedding service wehave developed,” said Tina. “We like to combine modern, sophisticatedtechniques with old-fashioned attention to detail, and train our up-and-coming florists to follow this lead.

“For example, we always use wire to secure flowers into bouquets. Manyflorists don’t use this method any more, and I’ve heard horror stories ofbrides dropping flowers as they walk down the aisle.

“Unlike other florists, we also begin by charging a small fee for our initialone-and-a-half hour consultation with each new bride.

“This serves two purposes – it confirms that the bride’s interest in using usis genuine, and also underlines our commitment to her and her big day.

“It’s common knowledge that many brides check out several differentflorists before making a final decision, which is completely understandable,and is the reason why the majority of florists only dedicate half an hour orso to this process.

ifloristsummer 2006

09Country pickers:the wedding specialists

“But we prefer to do things more thoroughly and build up a rapport witheach client from the outset, where we talk through the bride’s weddingideas and colour schemes and discuss a variety of concepts.

“The next step is for us to order in a selection of sample flowers six weeksbefore the big day. The bride is then invited into the shop to check exactshades and breeds, and to confirm details of arrangements.

“It’s a very serious business, which we always try to treat with the respectit deserves – after all, if we get it wrong, we run the risk of spoiling a cou-ple’s big day!”

When that day finally arrives, Tina’s husband takes the reins, assumingresponsibility for the logistical side of the business.

Tina explained: “Tim checks all of the deliveries before they leave the shopand then does the initial set-up at the wedding venue, whether that isTutbury Castle, a church or a registry office.

“Once the service is finished, he then transfers the flowers to the receptionvenue, where they often have to be rearranged.

“That in itself can be a nightmare, as you have to time it just right to beateverybody to the reception and have everything organised by the time thehappy couple show up.

“It’s very, very hard work but extremely rewarding for us, especially when wesee the pleasure it brings.”

And word of Tina and Tim’s outstanding service has begun to travel – whilethe average journey distance for their customers is around ten miles, onecustomer recently drove all the way from Scotland after seeing a design fora wedding bouquet on the shop’s website.

“The service we provide would mean nothing without the exceptional qual-ity of the flowers we have on offer,” said Tina. “We source the majority ofour stock from Metz of Holland, allowing us to have flowers in the shopwithin 36 hours of them being cut by the grower.

“That level of freshness means that our arrangements can last for up to fourweeks, as opposed to the typical one or two, and is often the deciding fac-tor for wedding customers in choosing us over any other florist.”

City slickers:baskets and blooms at Basgedi

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As co-founder and former director of award-win-ning Equinox Public Relations in Cardiff, HeatherGifford is known throughout South Wales as aserial entrepreneur.

And with an eye for a marketable product,Heather returned home from a holiday to theUSA and Canada in 2001 with an idea which hassince seen her make a new name for herself as afloristry and gift expert.

Awe-inspired by the innovative packaging tech-niques used in America's gift basket industry,Heather immediately recognised the opportunityto introduce the concept into the UK.

She said: “The gift basket market is America'sthird largest industry, making over $15 billionevery year. Back in 2001 though, there were onlyhalf a dozen companies offering gift basketsthroughout the whole of the UK.

“As soon as I returned from my trip, I beganresearching the idea, found premises in thebasement of a delicatessen in Cardiff andlaunched Basgedi.”

Rapidly moving the company on to a largerindustrial unit in the Welsh valleys, Heatherbegan testing products for the corporate giftmarket.

And after selling over 3,000 baskets in the spaceof just four years, to companies including LloydsTSB, Specsavers Opticians and Corrs Brewers,Heather decided that the time had come toexpand onto the high street.

She knew, however, that gift baskets alonewould not stand up as a retail concept and amore accessible route to market was required.

Flowers were the obvious solution.

“Up until this time last year, I had no previousexperience of floristry whatsoever, but it madesense that people would appreciate the opportu-nity to purchase supplementary gifts alongsidefloral ones,” said Heather.

“I knew that, as the managing director of Basgedi,I would need to develop a comprehensiveoverview of the market in order to compete, so,before launching my concept store in Lakeside,Cardiff, last September, I booked myself onto anintensive two-week training course.”

The Lakeside store is now managed by a fullyqualified, experienced floral designer, as is its sis-

ter store in Cardiff's Whitchurch area, whichopened just two weeks later.

The modern, airy stores are designed to escapethe traditional image of the cold, dirty, 'cave-like'florist's, with wooden floors and raised consulta-tion areas in the style of high-end lifestyle stores.

Heather explained: “We undertook quite detailedresearch into how consumers view florists andwent out of our way to avoid the stereotypes andoffer something different.

“The plan is to roll out into major cities across theUK so we have developed a certain unique stylewhich defines each store as a Basgedi Florist's.

“Equally important as image, though, is the levelof service. Our research findings highlighted badcustomer service as a pet hate of consumers soall of our staff are trained in customer handlingskills.”

To complement its successful range of corporategift baskets, Heather has recently introducedwedding baskets into Basgedi's stores, provid-ing a one-stop shop for the entire day.

“Our wedding baskets cater for everyone in thebridal party, from the page boys to the mother-of-the-bride.

“The typical father-of-the-bride basket is actually atop hat containing an inscribed glass tankard andt-shirt, but each one is bespoke and can bealtered according to the customer's requirements.

“The gift baskets have gone down extremely welland sales are split fairly evenly between thoseand flowers but, above all, our dual offer hasgiven us the kind of stability missing in floristrysince supermarkets began to encroach on theindustry.”

Indeed, in the first quarter of 2006, demand forBasgedi's products far exceeded expectationand, just six months after opening, the shops arealready well on their way to achieving their firstyear turnover target of £250,000.

“This whole process has been a very steep learn-ing curve for me and there is still so much I wantto achieve with Basgedi,” said Heather.

“In an industry that is changing on an almostdaily basis, we have managed to hit on some-thing unique and special for which there is agrowing market.”

So with Heather's proven business savvy andthe company's forthcoming developments,including opening stores in other UK cities andfurther expanding the e-commerce website,you would not bet against Basgedi soonbecoming the name on everyone's lips for bothflowers and gifts.

And for those who might be wondering what'Basgedi' actually means…

'Baskets', of course!

Heather Gifford


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sale level constantly, depending on supply and

demand and the seasons. You will find that

brides appreciate your honesty, and will trust you

more. If the bride gives you a definite idea about

the look they want to achieve, but are more flex-

ible about the flowers used, this will help.

• Know your customer - Brides these days are

usually older, more independent, may be pay-

ing for the wedding themselves and don't

come umbilically attached to their mothers or

their future mother-in-law. There has been a

growing trend towards brides doing their own

wedding flowers and this is probably due to

their need to have more creative control but

also a fear of spiralling costs.

• Make it personal - The more information you

can give to a bride the better. Most brides will

want their flowers to mean something to them.

Give them information about meanings of

flowers, colour, star signs (see the F&PA web-

site) - anything that will make them feel they

are getting that extra bit of service.

• Listen - Be careful to listen to what the bride

wants and always take notes that you can

refer back to at a later date. Some will have a

clear image of what they want in their heads

while others may need advise. Don't be afraid

to ask for colour swatches of the wedding

dress or bridesmaid dresses to make sure you

are on the right track.

• Portfolio - Make sure you have an up-to-date

and varied portfolio of your work and, if possi-

ble, testimonials from brides willing to sing

your praises. The portfolio will instil them with

confidence about your wedding work, give

them a starting point to work with and may

inspire new ideas which they had not previ-

ously considered.

• Keep in touch - Once the bride has chosen

the flowers and bouquets she wants, keep in

touch. While you may have booked the job in

your diary, you may not be aware of any

changes to the colour scheme, that there are

now three bridesmaids instead of two, or that

there is a new reception venue. Letting thebride know that you are in control takes someof the mounting pressures off her shoulders.

• Check and double check - Weeks before thewedding, make sure you have the correctdelivery times and dates. A bride does notwant to be frantically worrying when her bridaland bridesmaid bouquets are going to arrive.When you deliver the flowers to the door, becheery and wish the bride well - this extra milein customer service will be remembered by thebride, who may recommend you to others,and by bridesmaids who may need bridal flow-ers at a later date.

• Say thank you - When the big day is over, callthe couple to thank them for using your wed-ding service and wish them all the best for thefuture. This gives you the chance to find outwhether they were happy with your service (ifso, don't be afraid to ask for testimonials) andkeeps the door open for future business fromboth the couple, their family and friends.

Flowers & Plants Association, www.flowers.org.uk

Juliet, David Austin Roses

Weddings:attracting the romantic market

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Imagine a wedding without flowers - the church

would look stark, the reception bare and the

bride would have no idea what to do with her

manicured, yet shaky hands.

Flowers form such a significant part of the cele-

bration - one reason is because they carry relax-

ing fragrances - it is no wonder that brides-to-be

show a dogged determination in their quest to

find the perfect florist.

Well, here is a statistic that may shock you - the

average wedding costs just under £16,000

(according to a Mintel report), yet the average

spent on flowers is £400, a paltry 3% of the total

spend. Although you may view this as depress-

ing, look at it another way. There is lots of poten-

tial for you to expand this market.

Wedding floristry is an area in which the multi-

ples/supermarkets cannot compete and so is an

area in which florists can shine. You have the

technical skills, the design flair and the knowl-

edge to offer a bespoke service that larger retail-ers cannot match.

Remember, for the majority of brides their knowl-edge of flowers is limited to the bunch they buyonce a week in the supermarket if they buy flow-ers at all. They will have no idea of the variety,choice of colour and range of designs that youcan offer. This is where you can make your mark.If they feel more confident and they can recog-nise what they are buying, the chances are theywill spend more money.

In a recent survey in 'Wedding' magazine, read-ers took an average of twelve months to get frompopping the question to walking down the aisle.Whilst it may not be worth your while getting toodetailed too early in the proceedings, there is noharm in the enterprising florist 'cultivating' poten-tial brides before they spend their entire budgeton the dress and the catering.

With this is mind, iflorist has come up with acheck list of business tips to ensure the blushingbride says 'I do' to you:

• First impressions - Remember, first impres-sions count. You can guarantee if a couple hassourced you on the internet or in a directory,they will also have other florists on their list.Make sure you are courteous, talk with confi-dence about your service and make it clearthat nothing is too much trouble - this will be avery valuable asset to a frazzled bride-to-be.

• Consultation - Make the bride feel special. Becertain to pick a time when you can devote allyour attention to the client. Excusing yourselfto serve customers or answer the phone willgive them the impression that you are not 100per cent focused on their big day. Many floristsorganise wedding consultations after normalworking hours to ensure this doesn't happen,or even visit the client at home.

• Budgets - Explain to a bride the reasons whyit is difficult to give an exact quote a year inadvance. It is vital that they feel in control,there is nothing worse than feeling you arebeing bulldozed in to raising your budget.Explain how flower prices fluctuate at whole-

The look of love

Elegance and beauty Flowers & Plants Association


The rose is one of the oldest flowers known to man, and still one of themost popular. According to fossil evidence, the rose is 35 million years oldand during its long life has been recognised as a symbol of love, beauty,war and politics.

During the Roman period, peasants were reduced to growing roses insteadof food crops to satisfy the demands of their rulers. They used its petals formedicinal purposes but also as perfume, in their baths and as confetti at cel-ebrations.

In the fifteenth century the rose was used as a symbol for the factions fight-ing to control England. The white rose symbolised York, and the red rosesymbolised Lancaster and as a result, the conflict became known as the 'warof the roses'.

Roses were in such high demand during the seventeenth century that roy-alty considered roses or rose water as legal tender, and they were oftenused as barter and for payments.

It wasn't until the late eighteenth century that cultivated roses were intro-duced into Europe from China - this is where we can trace most modernday roses back to.

Did you know?

• The world's oldest living rose bush is thought to be one thousand yearsold. Today it continues to bloom on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedralin Germany.

• Napoleon's wife Josephine adored roses so much she grew more than250 varieties.

• In Christianity, the red rose is symbolic of the blood of Christ and a sym-bol of martyrdom, charity, the passion and resurrection. The white roseis linked to the Virgin Mary - the rose without thorns.

• While the rose may bear no fruit, the rose hips (the part left on the plantafter it has finished blooming) contain more vitamin C than almost anyother fruit or vegetable.

• Shakespeare refers to roses more than fifty times throughout his writings,“What's in a name? That which we call a rose; By any other name wouldsmell as sweet.” Act II, Scene II, Romeo and Juliet.

David Austin's English cut roses represent a new breed. They have

taken 14 years to create, and are based on David Austin's English

garden varieties, adored by gardeners worldwide for their fragrances

and Old Rose charm.

It has taken more than a decade to marry their beauty and scent with

the vase life and year-round availability of modern cut roses.

Each and every rose opens gradually to reveal spectacular full-

petalled blooms and delicate fragrances and their romantic charm

makes them the absolute must-have flowers for weddings.

David Austin's cut roses won Gold at the RHS Hampton Court

Flower Show and have been extensively reviewed and pho-

tographed by the wedding magazines over the past year, such that

brides are asking their florists for David Austin's cut roses by name.

Their three varieties include Juliet, Rosalind and Miranda - all names

which are based on Shakespearean characters.

• Juliet's large creamy-apricot blooms hold their petals in a perfect

rosette, the colour gradually softening with time. Juliet has a light

Tea fragrance.

• Miranda has very impressive, full petalled blooms of pure pink, the

closeness of the petals causing the intensity of colour to vary from

very pale to very deep. The flowers start deeply cupped with green

outer petals, which become hidden as the rose opens fully to a

wide shallow cup. Miranda has a delicate fruity fragrance.

• Rosalind has very full petalled flowers of blush pink with the faintest

hint of lilac, and has a large button eye in the centre. Rosalind has

a delightfully sweet, fruity fragrance.

A new breedof cut rose

Wedding giftsWhile it is customary for the bride andgroom to provide gifts for the key mem-bers of their wedding party it is yet anoth-er source of stress for the happy couple.

Bouquets are often seen as the perfectgift for mothers, mothers-in-law andbridesmaids but why not offer the brideand groom a slight variation on the norm- flowers in a bag.

Companies like Ann E Bags Ltd, providetop quality gift packaging for the smallretailer, which enable them to sell floral designs which set them apart from their competitors.

The most popular styles are the bespoke hand-tied carriers in black ivory and brown kraft - somuch so, that the company cannot keep enough in stock.

The bags come with labels and tissue paper, which adds to the stylish contemporary feel that willimpress both recipients and wedding guests alike.

ifloristsummer 2006

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ifloristsummer 2006

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Mazelli Designs © Presents

'The Floristry Bag'

'The ultimate sundries carry casefor florists on the move!'

£29-95 including integral tool bag(Tools not included)

To order contact our distribution centre; Questfreight on

tel. 0208 890 0330Or contact Mazelli-designs directly on

tel. 07950 257 976You may also order via our website on

www.mazelli.co.ukDelivery p & p £4-50 for UK

The historyof the rose

Rose Fact fileName: Botanical name Rosa

Origin: China and now cultivated from America toAfrica and from Eastern Europe to the Far East.

Colour: Available in every colour except blue andtrue black.

Availability: All year round and probably the bestknown and best-loved flower in the world.

Varieties: For extra scented roses, look for 'SterlingStar' (lilac), 'Jacaranda' (blue-pink), 'Osiana' (peach-cream), 'Sterling Silver' (lilac) and 'Extase' (deepred).

Care Tips: Limp roses can be revived by standingthem up to their necks in lukewarm water in a coolroom. Do not bash the stems as this prevents themtaking up water effectively. Don't remove thornsunless for a hand-held posy, as these can causewounds where bacteria can enter. They have a vaselife of around a week but can last even longer.

Flowers and Plants Association


Industry focus:the flower tester

ifloristsummer 2006

14

With hay fever and an allergy to gerberas youwouldn’t think working in the world’s largest auc-tion house would be ideal.

Anita van Niewenhoven, head of BloemenveilingAalsmeer’s test centre would, however, disagree.

She said: “I really love working here. With myallergies it is not good for me to be around flow-ers all the time, so I try to keep myself busy inother areas whenever I can.”

With more than 20 million flowers and plants soldat Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer every day, quality isof paramount importance.

It is no wonder then that the largest flower auc-tion in the world created its own test centre toensure that the 13,500 species sold there eachday are in a perfect condition.

This task falls to Anita and her team, who everyday make quality checks on behalf of the grow-ers, buyers and suppliers.

“There have been a lot of changes in the flowertrade since I started work here,” she said.

“External quality has always been important, butthere is now growing importance on internalquality and onus on the buyer to provide morequality guarantees.

“When I first started work here all the tests werepaid for by the auction. Now more and more arepaid for by the buyers and growers.”

Tests can be made on uniformity, leaf quality,flower size and flower colour, how long the flowerswill last in the home of the consumer, how fresh

the flowers will be after transportation and if theyare free of disease.

Regular testing provides a good insight into qual-ity and means growers can use results as extraproduct promotion or to adapt procedures, per-haps in the cultivation or post-harvest phase.

In turn, traders can use the results to makeadjustments to selection procedures or to suppli-er choice.

Durability is an important part of the testingprocess, as growers, buyers and suppliers alikeneed to know how long their flowers or plants willlast in the home.

Participating growers can have their productstested weekly or fortnightly and all participants –both suppliers and traders – can view the resultsvia the internet.

Anita said: “Testing started out with rose grow-ers, but it is becoming increasingly common withother flowers growers.

“We need to be confident that the flowers andplants we sell here today are in a perfect condi-tion when they arrive in a person’s living room inthe UK or in Germany. On average, tulips have asix day vase life, while my favourite flower - therose - has 10.”

Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer supports the introduc-tion of new products and space in the test cen-tre has been set aside to monitor them.

New products with good durability are given thehonorary designation of ‘Fleur Primeur’ or ‘PlantPrimeur’.

Anita said: “Testing new products is particularlyimportant to a grower looking to produce a newvariety, as if it displays a bad face life it meansthat it is not worth taking the risk.

“If the quality of these new products is not up tostandard we cannot give them Fleur Primeur sta-tus, though growers can ask for a re-test.”

While many of the tests carried out are at therequest of members, others have been requiredby quality control, whose job it is to flag up con-cerns about flowers when they arrive at theauction.

Flowers that are up to standard receive a qualitymark, but those which aren’t are sent back to thegrower and quality control staff may pay them avisit to discuss any problems.

Also, if a buyer comes back to the auction with aproduct they are unhappy with, this will also betested in the centre.

The test centre has acquired a wealth of informa-tion and knowledge over the years and ismanned by researchers and assistants who havea genuine passion for flowers and plants.

Anita said: “Imagine arriving for work everyday tobe met with a mass of colour and beauty.

“My favourite part of the job is coming into con-tact with the many different flowers of the market-place – even though some of them don’t like me!”

Anyone visiting Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer can paya visit to Anita in the test centre, which can befound on the balustrade next to flower auctionroom E.

Inset: Anita van Niewenhoven, head of

Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer’s test centre


ifloristsummer 2006

17

1. Pin bullion wire to Oasis creating a frameand length; attach the first few gloriosa lilies andwisps of asparagus fern.

2. After adding swirling steel grasses forlength, insert sprigs of soft ruscus for texture.

3. Place gloriosa lily heads into the oasis asthe focal point; surround with the F green roseheads.

4. To accentuate the bouquet shape, addcerise pink spray rose heads to any gaps; addshort pieces of grass to mirror the grassesbelow and balance the piece.

5. Bind the gloriosa lily trails and longer stemswith decorative bullion wire to pull the piecetogether.

Handy hint:As this is a wedding bouquet, we would recom-mend you use a glue gun to secure pieces ateach stage of creation, just to make sure it willwithstand the ‘nervous bride test’.

This bridal design was created by Hardman& Hall Contemporary Floristswww.hardmanandhall.com

What you will need:

Oasis bridal holder

Mossing pins

Decorative bullion wire

Gloriosa lilies

Asparagus fern

Steel grass

Soft ruscus

Cerise pink spray roses

F green roses

Scissors

Step by step:The perfect wedding bouquet

ifloristsummer 2006

16


ifloristsummer 2006

19

“Floristry can't go that way. There will always be room for the national

companies, but the heartbeat of the industry is the one-man bands, the

family businesses and the professionals plying their trade in their own

shop.”

Signing up does require a computer and access to the internet, although

iflorist can help you get on your way with simple and cost effective pack-

ages.

“The technology is in most people's homes and business already; they

just aren't making the most of it yet,” added Mike Chappel of iflorist.

“Our system isn't complicated, we feed orders to partners and they fulfil

them, it's no more difficult than that.

“But we understand that some people are a little hesitant about technol-

ogy. If you're not used to it, it can be a daunting prospect. That's ok

though as we have put together a straight-forward installation process

and can offer support in plain English.

“All the ordering takes place on our side of the business, meaning it's one

less thing for the florist to worry about. We've taken care of the set-up

and the marketing; we're just ready for partners to start taking orders.”

iflorist exists to bring the floristry business back into the hands of the

florist. As a skilled local florist it can be soul destroying watching large retail-

ers take your local pickup trade and online florist websites take away your

traditional telephone business.

Rather than trying to compete with high street retailers and online florists,

iflorist lets you plug into orders that are generated by high street retailers

and online web florists.

For a one-off licence fee of £100, florists become a partner to iflorist and

have the ability to receive orders from a wide range of high street retailers

and web orders via Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, kelkoo and ebay.

iflorist exploits the true potential of online sales, taking the pain and cost

of receiving profitable orders away from independent florists - it's a bit like

having your own department store on the internet without having to pay for

your orders - you simply give a trade discount for the orders that you

receive from us.

iflorist is an order generating system, it is not a relay service. Unlike relay

companies that send flowers from anywhere to anywhere, iflorist just

gives orders to its partners.

The difference here is crucial, and means that any florist can take part.

“Relay companies don't like competition. If you sign up to one, you usu-

ally have to sever any ties you have with others. This limits how much

business a florist can do, but with iflorist you can be subscribed to

receive orders on top of any relay work you carry out,” said Jason Hall

of iflorist.

“We're not asking our partners to pick us over anyone else; we're ask-

ing them to pick us as well as everyone else they already have on the

books.

“Business in general is becoming less about the individual retailer on the

high street and more about the big brands.

iflorist:the internet for floristry insomniacs

ifloristsummer 2006

18

Giving floristryback to the florist


ifloristsummer 2006

21Budding star:Aaron MacManus is a second year floristry student at Myerscough College who has ambitious plans for the future.

Why do you want to be a florist?

I have always been interested in flowers eversince I can remember. It started as a hobby butwhen I started entering competitions I realised Icould make this into a career.

What project are you currently working on?

At the moment I am planning a large event inTelford in June. It is an exhibition and conferencewhere I will be in charge of all the flower displaysand decoration. The key part of the design is a40ft palm tree to be made entirely from aspidis-tra leaves.

What has been your favourite project so far

and why?

I entered a competition a year ago with thetheme of “Beyond Imagination”. This was themost enjoyable project and one of the mostunusual, winning me a gold award at the show. Istarted by covering the table with grass thenmade a metal frame into a cone shape andattached CD's swirling all the way round.Through the middle of each CD I placed differentcoloured Gerberas which were in test tubes filledwith coloured water.

How valuable has college training been to

you and why?

I debated for a long time about going to collegeto progress in floral design and I am pleased withmy decision. College has given me so muchmore knowledge and understanding about theindustry. As well as learning new designs andstyles, it has given me experience in the princi-ples of design and photography. I have also hadthe opportunity of working with different types ofmaterials as well as lots of different flowers.College has also introduced me to demonstrat-ing; this is something that I really enjoy and havedemonstrated at a number of flower shows andevents. The skills I have learned in college will bea great foundation for my future career and havehelped me progress my own personal style.

Do you plan to set up your own business

once you have qualified?

Just over a year ago I decided to become a self-employed, freelance floral designer on the days Iwasn't in college. This included working at mylocal florists and helping with weddings and otherlarge events. In October last year I set up my owncompany, WillowWays Ltd. I decided to use myexperience with event management and join thistogether with the floral design to create a compa-ny that can provide the whole package for wed-dings and corporate events. When I complete mycollege course in June 2007 I plan to progressmy business even further.

Which are the best materials to work with?

I enjoy working with decorative wire, this is agreat way to pull together your design and helpstrengthen and support it. I also like test tubes ina design as they are great to work with and lookoriginal, having the added benefit of making theflowers last longer. I have always found Sisal tobe a great material to work with - you can doalmost anything with it and it gives a greatimpact. My favourite flowers to use are tulips asthey are very flexible and can be woven throughframes and used in many different ways. I alsolike to use grasses - they can enhance anydesign, and there is so much you can do withthem, especially flexi grass.

And the worst?

I don't like working with cellophane especially thespotted kind, the only time I would use it is if it'scompletely necessary, such as for an Aqua pack.

Whose house would you choose to deco-

rate with flowers and why?

I would like to decorate the house of Elton Johnbecause of his great personality and fashion sense.I think he would let me go wild with the designs andcolour and this is something that I would reallyenjoy. I would also like thinking up new ideas anddesigns that would fit in with his home.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years I hope to be running a successful busi-ness, which deals with large events and corporatework. I would also like to progress my skills as ademonstrator and take part in shows. I will contin-ue to enter events and will hopefully progress toworld class competitions and flower shows.

What tips can you offer to fellow budding

florists?

I strongly believe in following your dreams andgoals no matter what. When you are learning flo-ral design it is important to find your own specif-ic style but still allow yourself to learn from others.I believe this is what will make you stand out fromthe rest.

Top internet tips:Your high street on the information superhighway

ifloristsummer 2006

20

The world has been shrinking for centuries.

It started about the time Christopher Columbus taught us we could sailaround it, then the invention of the telephone meant we could speak topeople across the country, and then across the continent, and now theinternet has enabled us to conduct real-time business with anyone, any-where on the planet.

But what of those that don't want to shop in Brazil? And do we really wantto buy our flowers from Australia?

Trans-global business is no doubt a saviour for many businesses, rescuingsome and opening up unlimited new opportunities for others.

For most of us, however, it's all a bit much. And now the big online playersare picking up on the fact that once the novelty of it all has worn off, whenwe're ready to spend our money, we'd sooner do so in our own back yard.

This realisation has led to the new Local brands: Yahoo Local, GoogleLocal, and so on. They are mini search engines concentrated on your loca-tion, like being given your local phone book in place of a giant list of everyexisting telephone number.

So there's less nonsense to trawl through, great for your average internetuser, but what does that mean for your average florist?

It puts them back on the map, because the map is centred on them. Use

a regular search engine to look up florists and you will find the big names

and brands, but use a Local search engine and you'll find shops on your

high street.

This level playing field could be the all important differentiation in the future

of online business. It could mean that big e-brands don't kill the bricks and

mortar shops like we feared they might.

Now fully launched in the US and Canada, the Local search engines are still

in development in the UK. Over in the States, Google has already incorpo-

rated maps to direct shoppers to stores and there's a slimmed down ver-

sion which can be used on mobile phones.

Essentially, you can be standing in the high street when you remember you

need a florist, turn on your phone and be directed to your nearest shop.

By storing your location, your computer can tailor the internet around you.

The world may be a vast and interesting place, but it no longer needs to

clutter our everyday internet use. And with this comes benefits to the high

street florist, something the big, countrywide names can't change.

Still in its early stages, we can only speculate where the technology may

lead, but we can be confident that the local florist will become as prominent

as the national retailer again, and the internet will soon become the friend,

rather than the feared foe.


Around the world in flowers

In the exquisitely illustrated World Flowers, leading international floristJane Packer reveals how she draws on landscapes, traditions and cul-tures from around the globe to create her fabulous distinctive themeddisplays.

Always searching for new sources of inspiration, Jane Packer presentsa fresh approach to flower arranging. Using flowers and plants from allover the world she explains how to create glorious original displays forevery occasion and interior.

With shops and flower schools from New York to Tokyo, she is highlyqualified to give this insight into world flowers.

As well as revealing the thought processes behind her designs, Janegives clear instructions on how to create them and suggests alterna-tive flowers and containers to alter the look of the displays.

Jane Packer is one of Britain's foremost floral artists, renowned for hersimple yet stunning designs. She is regularly commissioned by lumi-naries of the film, fashion and business worlds to create flowers for allmanner of everyday and special occasions.

Celebrity clients include John Galliano, Madonna and Donna Karan.

World Flowers, priced at £18.99 is due out in August.

ifloristsummer 2006

23New products

Flower in a balloonLaunched to the UK floristry market at the Spring Florist Event 2006 inBirmingham was the innovative new concept of the Flower In A Balloon (FIAB)by wholesale company Ballooniful.com.

Previously only available in the USA, FIAB brings an inventive and novel new lookto floral artistry. The equipment used to produce this product is simple to useand allows you to bring a new and modern look to floral displays, table decora-tions or just as a distinctive gift.

For instance, it allows a new take on the already popular combination of balloonsand floral displays as a wedding table centerpiece. it is perfect as a gift for peo-ple in hospital where open flowers may not be allowed or even just as an unusu-al gift for a loved one. The only limit is your imagination!

For further information, picture gallery, stock, and ordering details visit www.bal-looniful.com. Call on 01437 768998 or email [email protected]

Flowers with a differenceWant to diversify your product range, offer more to your customers and still keepto the theme of flowers? Introducing the gift with a difference: Flower StorkBabywear Bouquets.

A Flower Stork Babywear Bouquet is ideal for a new mum and baby. At firstglance, it appears to be a fresh flower bouquet but a closer look reveals that therosebuds of a Babywear Bouquet are in fact made from baby clothes.

A beautiful and practical gift, the bouquet can be enjoyed before the baby isready to wear the clothing (sized three - six months). Each handmade bouquetis decorated with coloured tissue and paper flowers to match the 100% cottonclothing - baby socks, bodysuits, bibs and muslin squares.

The Flower Stork Babywear Bouquets are available in Classic White, Sugar Pink,Cornflower Blue and the Spring colours of Buttercup Yellow with Classic White.

To stock The Flower Stork products call 0800 161 3363 or [email protected]

New alternative to canvasLiquid Images is an innovative photographic company specialising in selling a rev-olutionary new product called Art Blocks.

Art Blocks are an exceptional new alternative to canvas prints, offering all the samefeatures with the added benefits of a high quality, durable fine art print.

Acclaimed photographer Tom Lambert has created a range of contemporary pho-tographic images including a fascinating array of stylish floral and natural subjects. They are high quality Glicée Prints laminated and bonded onto wood. The lamina-tion process seals the image making the overall product extremely hard wearing.

The advantage of Art Blocks is that the image is brilliantly clear and will not fade orbecome loose over time, as can happen with a canvas prints. Combining thisunusual art style along with their professional unique photography adds to theoverall beauty of these products.

Art Blocks from Liquid Images are all hand finished, hand signed and come in 3different sizes with trade prices starting at £7.50.

For more information please visit www.liquidimages.co.uk or contactBecky Quartermaine on 01904 797907.

Events guideifloristsummer 2006

22

Event: Chelsea Flower Show 2006Date: May - Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27Venue: Royal Hospital, Chelsea

Description: The finest collection of flowers in the world will be on display at one of the most famous shows.

Contact: 020 7649 1885Website: www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea

Event: Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2006Date: July - Tuesday 4 to Thursday 6 Venue: Hampton Court Palace, Surrey

Description: The world's largest horticultural show - this spectacular gardening event features an exciting range of flowers, plants and gardening accessories.

Contact: 0870 752 7777Website: www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt

Event: Tatton Park Flower ShowDate: July - Wednesday 19 to Sunday 23Venue: Tatton Park, Cheshire

Description: Ideas, inspiration and plants - they're all yours to take home from theRoyal Horticultural Society's Flower Show at Tatton Park.

Contact: 020 7630 7422Website: www.rhs.org.uk/tatton/2006

Event: GLEEDate: September - Sunday 17 to Tuesday 19Venue: NEC, Birmingham

Description: International garden and leisure trade show with the latest product launches and retail ideas.

Contact: 020 8277 5861Website: www.gleebirmingham.com

Event: Society of Floristry Annual Show 2006Date: November - Saturday 25 to Sunday 26Venue: East Midlands Conference Centre, University of Nottingham

Description: A chance to see demonstrations from international floristry experts.

Contact: 0870 2410432Website: www.societyoffloristryexhibitions.info

A year of flower dates to

remember, from May 2006 to May

2007

Spring Bank Holiday - Monday May 29

Fathers Day - Sunday June 18

Summer Bank Holiday - Monday August 28

Grandparents Day - Saturday September 16

International Day of Peace - Thursday September 21

Hallowe'en - Tuesday October 31

All Saints Day - Wednesday November 1

St Andrew's Day - Thursday November 30

Christmas Eve - Sunday December 24

Christmas Day - Monday December 25

Boxing Day - Tuesday December 26

New Year's Eve - Sunday December 31

New Year's Day - Monday January 1

Valentine's Day - Wednesday February 14

St David's Day - Thursday March 1

International Women's Day - Thursday March 8

St Patrick's Day - Saturday March 17

Mothers Day - Sunday March 25

Mothers Day (USA) - Sunday May 13

Good Friday - Friday April 6

Easter Sunday - Sunday April 8

Easter Monday - Monday April 9

St George's Day - Sunday April 22

May Day - Tuesday May 1


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