‘All the cogs are turning again’

Florist Franka Roenhorst always practices her work with extreme passion. ‘From this passion I also participate in competitions, so I am currently in the run-up to the Dutch Floral Art Championship that will take place in January.’

‘I find the real challenge for myself in the preparation for a competition or, as now, in making winter-tinted arrangements for this magazine. In it I can completely let myself go, come up with new things, test materials, look for new techniques and create something special with them. I get new inspiration from this, all the gears start running again.’

‘In my search for colors that suit winter but are not standard, I worked with materials in red, salmon, orange, and pink in three arrangements. These colors clearly show the warmth of autumn and also that the transition to the winter and Christmas period is now beginning.’

'For example, in my arrangements, I have already used the poinsettia, Euphorbia 'Autumn Leaves', which has a beautiful salmon hue. And, as a nod to Christmas, I have added accents with Nobilis branches.'

'Challenges inspire me'

What characterizes master binder Sören Van Laer is his ability to try new things with existing materials, to experiment and to give it his own signature. ‘I followed a horticultural education and completed it with a specialization year in floristry. At school I mastered the most important basic techniques, but the complete perfection in floristry was at my internship at Geert Pattyn in Geluwe. Here I learned a lot of new techniques, I could ‘steal a lot with my eyes’.’

Through his participation in the Fleur Talent project, Sören became acquainted with the entire floral chain and was able to expand his network. ‘I get my inspiration from my environment, from nature, from vegetative materials, but also other materials from, for example, the construction sector can be a source of inspiration.’

‘I love challenges. For example, Cymbidium is not immediately the most obvious flower to work with, but this is precisely what encourages me to get creative. The exotic nature of this flower appeals to me a lot.’

‘Searching for flowers that match the treasures found outside’

Moniek Vanden Berghe is an authority in the field of floral art. After training in various art disciplines, Moniek found her true passion in floral art. Her natural feeling for form and colour, contrast, texture and structure resulted in a highly personal, elegant and contemporary arrangement style. Moniek is known for her trend-setting bridal work, which resulted in the book series Flowers in Love, but also very refined funeral arrangements and nature-inspired creations are part of her repertoire.

‘I mainly find inspiration in the season and in the natural surprises that each season brings. Different weather conditions bring different colors to the leaves, for example. Dry and sunny weather causes the plumes to dry out and fan out earlier, while humidity brings earlier decay and skeletonization. Finding matching flowers and surfaces for the treasures found outside is very fascinating.’

‘Everything in my work is in service of the flowers’

Master florist Geert Pattyn's style is best described as pure, simple, and natural. 'Making the world more beautiful and creating atmosphere with flowers and plants has been my ultimate goal for over thirty years. Aesthetics are very important in my profession. I started as an employee in a flower shop, and after ten years, I founded my own studio on the farm in Geluwe where I grew up.'

'Fashion, design, art, and gastronomy are important sources of inspiration for me, but nature is and remains my most important source of nourishment. My specialization is occasional work: everything in my work serves the flowers. For example, creating with Cymbidium is a challenge. It is a very powerful flower that also glories in a simple creation.'

‘I love geometric shapes. The square is a simple shape that you can play with in different ways: open-closed, dark-light – a theme that offers many possibilities. For example, by working with small squares in large squares, you can also create depth in your work.’

Sparkling Christmas

Whether you opt for an expressive eye-catcher or a rustic and understated Christmas arrangement: Christmas in 2023 sparkles! Perhaps it has to do with the zeitgeist, which makes people crave cosiness, a beautifully decorated table, a warm home. A spectacular eye-catcher in the store is therefore highly recommended. The enchantment that belongs to Christmas begins with a few eye-catchers in the flower shop.

'Working ahead saves a lot of stress'

Floral designer Hanneke Frankema knows better than anyone how busy the run-up to Christmas can be for florists. ‘You can only prepare well for Christmas. It is very useful to make a large number of bases in the quiet hours, for example in the summer. Make it so that you only have to add a few fresh flowers – although dried flowers can still be fine. If something is sold, you can quickly grab a new base from the stock, put a single fresh flower in it and sell it again.’

‘For the arrangements for this edition of DPK, I have therefore looked closely at nice solutions for beautiful bases for the winter and Christmas that can be prepared easily and quickly, such as tea light holders that you can pimp and trendy circles with many dried and repaired materials. Also, the appeal of a group of arrangements in different sizes (and prices) is great. Volume is key.’

'Working ahead saves many overtime hours and a lot of stress during busy days. And, substrates are also great fun to make – at least, I think so!'