Flower nests, cacti and live inspiration

IPM Essen

Flower nests, cacti and live inspiration

What was there to see at IPM Essen this year? Well a lot. From live flower shows to beautiful shop presentations of cacti, orchids and roses, to the flower trends from FDF and from Blooms (with spectacular arrangements), beautiful flower presentations at the growers(associations) and the colorful atmospheric presentation of 365 days of flowers. In short: IPM was in full bloom.

Article

Germany

The IPM Essen trade fair was held from Tuesday, January 28 to Friday, January 31. As many as over 40,000 visitors from the flower and plant trade traveled to Messe Essen (DE). Hall 5 was the scene of the German Florists' Association FDF, which presented various flower shows on the circular stage every trade fair day. More about this in the article on page 108. Also created in this segment of the fair hall was a meeting place for professionals in the floral industry and stands from important online platforms such as Thursd. and the Spanish FLOOS, and flower and material suppliers (and also sponsors) such as Smithers-Oasis, Decorum, Porta Nova (Red Naomi roses) and Van der Plas.

Trends
2025 promises to be the year of bold colors: both bright colors and pastel shades are featured. Sky Blue (light blue) and Mocha Mousse, the Pantone color of the year 2025, are the main focus colors. In terms of form, the arrangements see many vegetative solutions, for example, large nests of branches or other plant materials with flowers on or in them in all capacities from mono to diverse. The choice is brightly colored roses, different sizes of roses in ton-sur-ton pastels, or lots of different flowers (and colors) from the season.

The FDF trends and ideas were developed and elaborated by FDF art director Manfred Hoffmann and floral designer Oliver Ferchland. The four trends, Coral Coast, Amar Amor, Exotic Embrace and Soft Sense have been brought to life through beautiful floral arrangements combined with everyday trend items. The presentations are designed in such a way that they are easy to interpret and apply in one's own flower store.

Positivity
Also Blooms presents a number of distinct trends depicted through spectacular arrangements that all seem to express an overarching theme; Liveliness. Both Me-Time, Joie de Vivre, Travel Journals and Golden Hour, radiate cheerfulness and positivity.

Me-Time is the most subdued trend. The use of pastel colors, earth tones and simple shapes aligns with the need for a personal zen moment for much-needed rest in the hectic world. Golden Hour harkens back to the "golden" 1970s. Its vintage look and warm colors are loved by a wide range of consumers. Joie de Vivre radiates a zest for life, the arrangements, through lavish use of red, yellow and orange, have a certain schwung. In the arrangements of the Travel Journals trend, exotic flowers and plants feature heavily. Leaf, whether braided into tubes or not, also plays an important role in the design.

Outlook
Monique Kemperman looked ahead to Green Industry Trends 2026 in the Flower Council Holland booth. Which style trends and values will determine the demand for flowers and plants? Besides looking back on the last decades, she gave a preview of two new trends.

Within the trend Nostalgic Lens, in addition to fresh colors, we see the return of the (new) bidemeier and small flowers: the millefleurs. There are also combinations of flowers and vegetables such as green beans and fennel leaves.

The trend Orbit Revive harkens back to the 1970s; brown, green and orange in the interior. The new "space age" also plays a role, which manifests itself especially in the application of contrasting and shiny materials. Contrast also exists in combining plants from different worlds. Think, for example, of a prominent cactus next to an Anthurium.

Fresh vintage
At the fair, much attention was paid to original shop displays of cacti. You saw them in rows of terracotta pots, in groups of four in square pots (which gave a nice graphic effect), to in special combinations of species planted together in baroque jars of colored glass. The cactus benefits from the vintage trend, but in fresh, appealing presentations.

Also striking was the beautiful presentation of Opti-flor in which the white Phalaenopsis played a leading role. Available in as many as seven sizes: from very small, Theatro Funk, to five-year-old vigorously branched plants, Theatro Soul. The latter can bear up to 100 flowers. The use of potting web, short for "pantyhose" over the pot, also ensures that mosquito larvae have no chance to attack the roots - resulting in beautiful strong plants.