New Beginnings

The flower world breathed a sigh of relief when Be-Florist, the Belgian trade association decided to revive the grand flower event in Alden Biesen: New Beginnings was born. Those who were able to attend enjoyed it. For those who could not be there or want to reminisce, we bring you a brief review of a first successful edition.

'My favorite flower is the dandelion'

We meet Gábor Nagy during Féerie Florale at the Land Commandery of Alden Biesen in Belgium where he is busy preparing his demonstration. 'I am in Alden Biesen for the first time. But Belgium has a very special place in my heart because I won my first international competition here in 2017, Eurofleurs, the European junior championships.'

'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.'

'Each flower and color has its own message'

Master binders Sofia Tavares and Marc Noël met while working in a flower store. They decided to start a flower store together and in 2015 started Moments Subtils in Bastogne, Belgium. June 2023 their second flower store, with the same name, opens in downtown Brussels. Also, Sofia and Marc find challenge in decorating events and participating in competitions. In September, they are both participants in the Belgian Flower Arranging Championships.

The pair has a passion for the beauty of nature and for flowers. 'Floristry for us is a language of flowers to pass on all the beauty. We find inspiration in a walk in the woods, in a city and its architecture or simply in a flower or a moment of wonder.'

The significance of funeral arrangements for Sofia and Marc? 'Words can bring comfort, but flowers have the extra power to express emotions stronger than in words. For us, all flowers and all colors can be used in funeral arrangements, because each flower and color has its own message.'

Moments Subtils is the name of two flower stores in Bastogne, Belgium, and in the heart of Brussels.

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.