Winter Challenge

To move from the colorful fall to winter is a different mindset for many people. Not that the colors completely disappear from the landscape, but it's all a bit more subtle and monochromatic. For florists, especially those who want to work more sustainably, that can be a challenge. Getting into the shell of nature, the bare branches with larch or pine cones, the evergreen greenery, mosses and dried tendrils - it takes some adjusting.

'Funeral work may also be very colorful'

Florist Mélodie Mahin of La Mélodie des Fleurs flower store in Libin, Belgium, received her training at the Institut Horticole de Gembloux, she attended the Fleur Talent! training project with ten young florists and regularly participates in competitions in Alden Biesen and Beloeil. She also decorates weddings and parties and is renowned for her workshops and children's parties.

In addition to the daily colorful arrangements for her customers in the flower store, farewell flower arrangements also have an important place in Mélodie's work. 'A personal farewell is the birth of a beautiful memory. That's why I like to help provide the most beautiful farewell possible.'

'That can be an arrangement in very neutral colors, white and green, and with classic funeral flowers like chrysanthemums. But funeral arrangements can and may also be very colorful. There are also different possibilities in terms of form. A flower cushion remains a classic, but I also like to choose other shapes or a combination of different small creations.'

'There is so much more than traditional decorations'

For floral designer Chantal Post, funeral arrangements mean a very personal tribute to the deceased. 'The choice of flowers is often related to the character of that person. A conversation with the family ensures that you get to know the specific characteristics of the deceased, the sensitivities, the favorite flowers.'

'It is a challenge to make use of more or less known symbolism. This allows you as a florist to give more depth to your funeral arrangements. For example, a cylinder is open at both ends, reason that this shape symbolizes communication between two worlds: the physical world and the spiritual world.'

'In this contribution I especially wanted to show different techniques and different forms of coffin decorations. So much more is possible than traditional decorations. For example, I used paper coffee filters to make a structure that gives the impression of a soft pillow. That creates a lot of possibilities. Moreover, the paper structure has a voluminous effect of its own, so relatively few flowers are needed to create a large arrangement.'

Farewell with flowers: latest trends

With farewell flower arrangements, a florist can create significant added value during a funeral. On the initiative of VBW, Smithers-Oasis and Groothandelscentrum Plantion, the Funeral Event was held in Ede on March 5. During the event the focus was on various new trends that are playing in the funeral world. For example, the natural burial ground is on the rise, coffins are increasingly taking the place of traditional coffins and there is increasing demand for urn decorations.

Gold for Estonian smoke saunas and black bread

As many as sixteen floral designers from around the globe traveled to Singapore at the invitation of the organization to compete from Aug. 3-5 for the Floral Windows to the World Championship (FWWC) competition, part of the Singapore Garden Festival. FWWC, after a six-year hiatus, returned this year in a revamped live format.

'Autumn is full of admiration and amazement'

Flower binder Willy Pardijs of Vrij Geschikt loves every season but autumn is her preference when it comes to the many beautiful materials to work with. She works from rural Wichmond in the Achterhoek region. 'If you look carefully around you in late summer and autumn you see so many beautiful materials in nature that it is sometimes even difficult to choose what to use.'

'There is also something magical about autumn, the early morning, the fog slowly lifting and the beautiful warm autumn light slowly making its appearance and showing the beautiful colors of nature.'

'I get my inspiration mainly from nature and otherwise like to work from my feelings, not thinking but doing. Nature, it creates admiration and wonder. The leaves on the trees take on the most beautiful colors and flowers and plants often develop the most beautiful fruits and seed pods.