Autumn Tide

The approach of autumn is already announcing itself in mid-August. The wind sounds different, there is more moisture in the air, and the spiders diligently create more and more silver air bridges between plants and flowers. Foggy gray days alternate with sunny warm late summer days. And the outdoor scent, too, is more prominent, more earthy.

Florists sidelined by Topbloemen.nl

Online flower sender Topbloemen.nl is discontinuing its network of local florists for the distribution of bouquets ordered online. The fixed cooperation with 83 local florists in the Netherlands will be dissolved by June 30, 2025 at the latest, preferably even earlier. A letter with this announcement was delivered to the affiliated florists on June 3.

Botanica Cup: 4x gold for Gerrit

On August 16, Gerrit van Aalst left for Hungary together with expert Linda Eising and teacher Rita van Ramshorst to represent the Netherlands at the Botanica Cup International Florist Championship during the Flower Carnival in Debrecen. Gerrit participated with the intention of practicing and building competition experience for the upcoming WorldSkills Lyon 2024. That he subsequently wins all the assignments - and thus is overall winner - is truly a pleasing result and a boost for WorldSkills Lyon.

Tilting perspectives

Motto for the zeitgeist is Tilting Perspectives. The call for change is creating even greater contradictions in society: which way are we going? And what are we willing to give up? We are looking for new perspectives: a hopeful view of the future.

'Boho has the playful, seventies hippie flair with a certain chic'

Belgian Floral Designer Chantal Post enjoyed the master's degree in floral design in Vught. As president of the Belgian florists' union Be-Florist, she has been committed to promoting the beautiful profession of floristry and supporting florists since 2021.

'The contemporary bohemian style you see a lot at weddings is a melting pot of different cultural influences. Bohemian (or boho) fashion, is a timeless and stylish look perfect for anyone who wants to look chic with a nonchalant touch. Accessories, often made from natural materials such as wood, stone and shells, also play a prominent role. The free-spirited style combines different textures and vibrant colors into an eclectic yet cohesive whole.'

'A signature boho bridal bouquet has a natural look - combining the playful, casual seventies hippie flair with a certain chic. The waterfall shape is also typical of a boho bridal bouquet - especially if it is realized with special natural materials or different textures.'

'In bridal work I can put my passion'

For floral designer Max van de Sluis, one of the most important characteristics of bridal floral work is that it is, above all, personal. 'In my experience, the bouquet should perfectly match the bride and the person she is or at least the personality she wants to express. That also makes design for wedding flower arrangements always a fun challenge. Our profession is very versatile, and within all these dimensions, bridal work is not only an important part but also a facet that I really enjoy working on. This is where I can very sincerely put my passion and enthusiasm.

Working with materials of the season always gives me something extra. Fun to do and a fine result also gives building up a flower or using only one kind of (flower) material - as I was able to show several times in this session.'