A joy to give as a gift

In the spring, there are many special days in which flowers play an important role. Valentine's Day is not over yet or the florist is already responding to International Women's Day, Easter and Mother's Day. Birthdays, births and weddings also ask for a festive flowery gift.

Winter tinted

In November, the transition from autumn to winter begins. Yet autumn does not give way so easily, it seems as if the leaves on trees and shrubs color later every year. But at the end of November, winter really makes its entrance.

‘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.'

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.

‘We must fully ‘seize’ this time’

Florist Alex Aalders owns a flower shop in Assen. ‘I grew up with a father who was in the ‘gardens,’ so flowers came my way early on. In terms of inspiration, I mainly get a lot from creative colleagues, I like to visit trade events, and look at trade magazines, but also architecture, fashion and vacations bring inspiration. A frequently heard comment is that there are arrangements in trade magazines that are too large and too expensive – but I always think, you have to get the inspiration from it, not want to copy them.’

‘Due to circumstances, Christmas privately doesn't mean that much to me. But, for the store, it is of course a super nice creative and especially colorful time. We must fully ‘seize’ this time – but on Christmas Eve I will cocoon again.’

'It is difficult to say which trends are emerging, actually sustainability should be a trend, but yes, these days you sell a lot of wax amaryllis and colored branches. I myself find Simplicity a beautiful trend - simple in terms of layout and color, on the other hand I can also appreciate something super colorful.'

'The flower profession remains one big voyage of discovery'

What passion for the profession, what youthful enthusiasm. Esther Weijenberg, at the age of 25, has already built up an impressive resume. And continues to make her mark, with surprising arrangements and challenging competitions. Including the title of Dutch Champion Floristry for Juniors and soon the participation in the European Championship. Holland's glory.