The Story of M.

THE STORY OF Hanneke Frankema

‘success doesn’t come easy’

THE ART OF BREEDING The wonders of Africa Let’s go on a journey THE VALUE OF THE CHAIN

TOP 10 FLORAL TRENDS 2020 Alina Popa Unconventional flower design PEOPLE ARE NUMBER ONE THE KAIZEN WAY

BAS MEEUWS PLAYING WITH THE UNREAL

Design Dmitry Turcan Photo Artem Vasiliev Creative producer Alina Nikiforova Make-up artist Elizaveta Lisovodskaia Model Sofia Misun

THE STORY OF M

Telling stories, who doesn’t? To your children before bedtime, at work during the coffee break, or to your friends in the pub. Stories have been told since prehistoric times. A good story does something to you.

It touches you, intrigues you or inspires you.

This is our story: The story of M. Marginpar is trendsetting the market by empowering dedicated people who create the world’s most unique summer flowers. How? That’s what this magazine is all about. Read up on our farms in Africa, and how we use the Kaizen method to get the best out of everyone.

Read about the process of breeding, through which we put our unique flowers on the market. Enjoy the little fun facts about our flowers. We grow almost 100 different varieties and have tried to show you as many as possible. Get inspired by the stories and designs of our contributors, all enthusiasts and professionals who enjoy flowers and what flowers have to offer. And above all, enjoy ‘The story of M’.

Rob Koning Managing Director Marginpar

A UNIQUE PRODUCT OF NATURE, SIGNED BY OUR PEOPLE. 1

2

Ornithogalum Prince Star™

THE VALUE OF THE CHAIN MARGINPAR WAS FOUNDED IN 1988. WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO INTRODUCE FRESH CUT FLOWERS FROM AFRICA TO THE DUTCH FLOWER AUCTIONS. THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES, WE MANAGE VIRTUALLY ALL STEPS WITHIN THE VALUE CHAIN.

250 million stems, annually 17 production locations production countries: Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ethiopia Together, that makes 450 hectares of production land

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We have a variety of almost 100 different products

We strive for a 90 % sustainable production of our flowers The breeding process sometimes takes 10 years. From thousands of seedlings, only 0.01% reaches the finish line

The first Clematis Amazing© cultivar came on the market in 2006.

Number two was launched 5 years later.

A flower is harvested after an average period of 2.5 months Flowers are harvested 5 times a day to guarantee uniform flower maturity You can find Marginpar products all over the world, from Beijing to New York

Every day, 80.000 bouquets are made with our flowers That makes 80.000 happy recipients per day!

Wow!

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THE STORY OF M COLOPHON EDITOR IN CHIEF Helena van Achterberg ART DIRECTION Karin van Iterson, Hakijk EDITORIAL STAFF Helena van Achterberg Sanne Witkamp, Hakijk MARKETING & SALES Michiel van Paassen sales@marginpar.nl THE STORY OF M IS A PUBLICATION OF Marginpar BV PO Box 332, 1430 AH Aalsmeer Netherlands PRINTWORK Publishers Services bv MORE INFORMATION www.marginpar.nl CONTACT US AT Designer Dmitry Turcan

mail@marginpar.nl We would like to thank all our contributors: Alison Bradley, Alex Gerencséri, Alina Popa, Alina Nikiforova, Athi Lyra, Annette Von Einem, Andra Dumitrache, Alexandru Nimurad, Alex Șomandroiu, Artem Vasiliev, Aleksandra Tobiczyk, Bas Meeuws, Bo Bedre, Bálint Radí, Brittany Maertens-Poole, Breann Benoit, Bride Merli, Célestine Morel, Claudiu Alex Sarghe, Dmitry Turcan, Daniel Jordan, Diana Ionescu, Denis Bradley, Evgeny Varlamov, Elizaveta Lisovodskaia, Frédéric Dupré, Gabór Nagy, Hanneke Frankema, Hanna Tóth-Ster, Jan van Zoest, Jalise Wright, Jane Meng, Katherine Ashdown, Kangaita Primary School, Lea Romanowski, Linda Retel, Marc Knijnenburg, Marie Damian, Marika Mallas, Mathilde Karrèr, Marcin Chruściel, Max Kuczynski, Mihaela Cherciu, Nico Alsemgeest, Paul Heijmink, Piet van Kampen, Péter Simon, Raymond Bogaarts, Sala Lewis, Sandra Könings, Sandra Palm, Sylvie Rosokoff, Sofia Misun, Sikastone, Roxanne Fequiere, Vlad Bîrdu, Vivien Varga, Vlada Plekhanova, Zsófia Végsöne Kiss B., and all our photographed value adders.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a computerised database, or made public, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, by photocopying, or in any other way without the prior written consent of Marginpar B.V.

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MARGINPAR FLOWERS Our flowers can be divided into three categories: Originals (year round available and in large numbers), Seasonals (available in certain seasons) and Specials (surprising ‘niche’ flowers in small numbers).

We consistently create a unique quality of summer flowers. Always stylish and rich in colour.

Originals are available in large numbers all year round.

Both beautiful fillers and exclusive flowers, that have been cultivated with attention to detail. How about our Clematis Amazing® series, or the Eryngium

ORIGINALS

Questar® series, that are loved by florist all over the world?

We have 49 different varieties, divided over 8 crops.

Eryngium Magnetar Questar®

Seasonals are summer cut flowers, available in certain seasons. Because we grow our flowers in Africa, where seasons are different then the Dutch growing season, they surprise the market at times

SEASONALS

other growers can’t. The Craspedia Paintball Pop, for example, or the Hydrangea Rodeo are seasonals.

We have 18 different varieties, divided over 14 crops.

Salvia Pink Sundea

Specials are niche flowers, available in certain seasons and in small numbers. These flowers have a very high distinctive character, florist can really distinguish themselves from their competition using our specials.

SPECIALS

The coral like Jatropha Fire Cracker, for instance, falls into the ‘special’ category.

We have 25 different varieties, divided over 10 crops.

Gloriosa Rothschildiana

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INDEX

THE STORY OF M

83 BAS MEEUWS

101 SCABIOSA

1

THE STORY OF M

32

PASTEL LOVE

3

THE VALUE OF THE CHAIN

34

BLUE MONDAY

4

COLOFON

36

VIVIDLY VIBRANT

5

MARGINPAR FLOWERS

40

UNCONVENTIONAL FLOWER DESIGN ALINA POPA

ORIGINALS, SEASONALS, SPECIALS

6

INDEX

47

MOVING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

9

CONTRIBUTORS

55

THE WONDERS OF AFRICA

13

DUTCH NATIONAL CHAMPION

56

ZIMBABWE

63

TANZANIA

66

KENYA

LM FLOWER FASHION

71

ETHIOPIA

THE DESIGNER FLORIST

77

THE KAIZEN WAY

HANNEKE FRANKEMA

19

GYPS IS BACK

23

THE VOGUE FLOWERMARKET

28

BY ALISON BRADLEY

6

38 THE BRIDAL BOUQUET SERIES ‘QUEENS’

83

A 21ST CENTURY MASTER

28 COLUMN

ALISON BRADLEY

CREATING SURPRISING

BAS MEEUWS

88

TOP 10 FLORAL TRENDS 2020 SANDRA KÖNINGS

95

SUMMER FLOWERS. TOGETHER, EVERY DAY.

WEDDING JEWELRY GÁBOR NAGY

98

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A FAMILY

108 THE ART OF BREEDING

ALISON BRADLEY

101

SCABIOSA, A FORGOTTEN FLOWER

105

LEA, DESIGNING ON THE EDGE LEA ROMANOWSKI

108

THE ART OF BREEDING

7

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CONTRIBUTORS GÁBOR NAGY

SANDRA KÖNINGS

Gábor Nagy is a very talented Hungarian floral designer.

He won several Hungarian floral and art competitions.

He demonstrates and gives workshops in Hungary and abroad.

Next to floristry he is involved in fine arts.

Sandra Könings is primarily brand creator and trend translator, with a background in retail and fashion. Her company Trendlogic (founded in 2006) is renowned for its experience in fashion, floral, food and other areas.

FRÉDÉRIC DUPRÉ

BAS MEEUWS

Frédéric Dupré is a professional teacher and gives demonstrations and workshops in France and abroad.

He is a trendsetting florist for many (inter)national magazines.

He is often asked to design large stages for shows and special (floral) events such as the ‘Floralies’.

Bas Meeuws is a young photographer who is injecting the ‘traditional Dutch genre of the flower piece’ new élan.

He composes his work the way the old masters did, flower by flower, in luxury and splendour. The result is a layered photography that transcends time.

ALINA POPA

HANNEKE FRANKEMA

Alina Popa is a wedding florist from Romania. She is founder of NO NO NO: an unconventional flower design studio dedicated to nonconformist brides. She specializes in structural flower design but always looks for harmony.

Hanneke Frankema is an award-winning floral designer from The Netherlands. She works as a freelance floral designer and travels the world to teach floristry, do competitions, give floral demonstrations, make floral installations at big shows and to do flower promotions.

DMITRY TURCAN Dmitry Turcan is a one of the most recognisable Russianspeaking floral artists who lives in St. Petersburg, Russia.

He is the founder of the online school of floristics Turcan International Flower School and Turcan Flower Bureau.

ALISON BRADLEY Alison Bradley is director and co-founder of the non-profit platform Floral Fundamentals. It’s designed to bring growers, breeders, suppliers and florists into direct contact.

Alison is also a floral designer, a floral journalist, and she demonstrates and teaches whenever she can.

LM FLOWER FASHION Marc Knijnenburg and Raymond Bogaarts are the founders of LM Flower Fashion. A Dutch company that works internationally in the luxury events and exclusive weddings design field. They specialize in combining high end flowers with fashion, design, interior and lifestyle.

LEA ROMANOWSKI Lea Romanowski is a Canadian floral artist, designer and instructor who loves to push the boundaries of design.

With her design studio ‘Designing on the Edge’, founded in 2000, she offers a full range of services including structural floral art and event design and decor.

Gábor

Frédéric

Alina

Dmitry

Alison

Sandra

Bas

Hanneke

Marc en Raymond

Lea

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SEASONALS

CROCOSMIA

LUCIFER

En garde! Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ with her sword like leaves and brilliant red and orange flowers adds a tropical flair to any bouquet! She is not just a magnet for hummingbirds and bees but extends her magnetic field to attract floral designers all over the world.

10

Design Gรกbor Nagy Photo Bรกlint Rรกdi

11

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HANNEKE FRANKEMA ‘You only get to the top by doing things in a different way’

EVER SINCE HANNEKE FRANKEMA WAS AWARDED THE TITLE OF ‘MASTER FLORIST’ (AT THE TIME THE YOUNGEST PERSON EVER TO ACHIEVE THIS), HER FLORAL LIFE HAS BEEN A VIRTUAL ROLLERCOASTER. THESE DAYS, SHE REGULARLY FLIES TO CHINA, RUSSIA AND THE US TO GIVE MASTERCLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS. HER DISTINCTIVE WORK HAS WON HER MANY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS, INCLUDING THE 2018 DUTCH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OF FLORISTRY AND THE 2012 BARCELONA WORLD FLOWER CUP. BECAUSE OF THESE SUCCESSES, SHE WAS AN OBVIOUS CHOICE TO JOIN THE POPULAR DUTCH TV SHOW ‘THE NETHERLANDS’ BEST FLOWER STYLIST’ AS A JURY MEMBER FOR TWO SEASONS. ‘I have been in love with nature ever since I was a little kid. At home, I had my own lot in our back yard, and I was always collecting stones and shells. Because of my love of flora and fauna, I decided to go to Agricultural School. There, we had a weekly class of Flower Arrangement, which I enjoyed tremendously. When I learned that I could actually study Flower Arrangement, I instantly knew what I wanted to do with my life. Up till that point, I never imagined that there was a whole world behind a flower shop. I didn’t know anything about freelance work or competitions.

MY GOLDEN IDEA ‘My best competition so far was the 2018 Dutch National Championship, which I won. That was my ticket Photo Nico Alsemgeest

to the European Championship for professionals in 2020, which was pretty high on my wish list.’

‘I really want to show myself there. I don’t know the assignment yet, so I can’t tell much about what I’m going to do. I am now busy approaching sponsors, which always takes a lot of time. Not many people do this, but I like to grow by own plants. I will receive the first order within a week and will grow them in the garden in special

13

ways. I know which materials I like to use, so I have

‘Another perk of going abroad is that you often get

already ordered those. And now we wait. The assignment

surprised by local floral varieties. At the flower markets

comes half a year in advance. Then I lie awake for a few

over there, you come across things that are almost

nights before I have my golden idea. I usually know what

impossible to find back home. I really enjoy that, finding

I want to do pretty quickly. And then it really starts!’

new varieties and new colours. I think fern curls are very

BOTH FRAGILE AND ROBUST ‘I love colours. I prefer mixing cooler colours with brighter ones. I am a perfectionist when it concerns

beautiful, for example. You can’t get them here, but they are pretty standard in China. That is really nice about the foreign work.’

colours, because everything comes down to having

‘I WOULD JUST RUIN YOU’

an eye for the smallest detail.

‘One of the nicest things that has happened to me so far was a compliment by none other than Gregor Lersch.

‘I don’t have a specific type, but I always like using the

He is a true giant in our industry. Gregor knows what’s

Gloriosa, and the Clematis. Carnations are also very

going on around and speaks his languages. When he

beautiful. My work is very diverse, with the use of

entered the stage during the last World Championship,

multiple types. That diversity is a big plus. That way,

he got a standing ovation for just showing up.’

you remain surprised when you look at a certain piece of work for a second or third time.’

‘A while ago, we had dinner together, because he wanted to meet me. After a while, he said he wouldn’t accept

‘Both fragile and robust flowers are very beautiful to me.

me as a student. ‘No, I would just ruin you’, he said, ‘And

I’m currently making large frame bouquets, with very

I don’t want that. Just keep on doing what you’re doing

compact shapes at the centre and smaller ones on the

and go with your instinct. You’ll be able to compete with

outside. There, you will find personal favourites like the

absolute best.’ That was a such big compliment, I’ll never

Clematis, Gloriosa and Craspedia. And for the heart,

forget that.’

I tend to use bigger things.

INFLUENCE IN FLOWER LAND ‘One of the things I like most about giving workshops is to surprise the participants. They have often seen things from me on social media or during a show and expect the workshop to be very difficult. And then they find out that it is in fact quite simple. Creating a piece is often easier than inventing one.’

‘At the end of the day, it is nice to see them go home happily with their newly created work. But the best thing is when you follow them afterwards on social media and see that they have actually used your tips and ideas.

That you really have a kind of influence in flower land, so to speak.’

IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ‘One of the things I like best about my work is that I get to travel a lot! Yes. It can sometimes be a hassle and you are on the road for a long time, but you get to know a lot of new people.’

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‘It may sound funny,

encourage everybody to give their own spin to their work.

but I think there

doing things in a different way. So yes, you can use other

is just too much inspiration these days’ A BLESSING AND A CURSE

Try to find your own identity. You only get to the top by one’s ideas or techniques, but then you have to combine it with your own thing.’

‘I think it is important that florists continue to distinguish themselves. Not only to cope with ‘cheaper’ competition at gas stations and supermarkets, but also because precisely those techniques and innovations will make your customers happy and inspired. So, keep going to

‘It may sound funny, but I think there is just too much

shows, demonstrations and master classes. That way,

inspiration these days. Before the rise of social media,

you can stay inspired and remain distinctive as a florist.’

you had to buy books and visit shows to get new ideas.

Nowadays, you can check out Pinterest, browse the online trade magazines and copy whatever tickles your fancy. This may sound as a good development, but I think it is both a blessing and a curse. Before we had all these online platforms, you really had to figure everything out yourself.’

‘At the same time, I do have to admit that the availability of online media works out pretty well for me. Thanks to my photographer boyfriend, it’s easy for me to present my work to a large audience. New clients contact me after seeing certain photographs that they liked, want to learn a specific technique they have seen. I also receive requests via Facebook and Instagram.’

RAISING THE BAR I like to raise the bar as high as possible. I don’t settle for anything less than winning or being the best. I am obviously happy with the successes I have had so far, but it would be great if I do well at the European Championships. I would also like to publish a book with my boyfriend, by the way.’

FINDING YOUR OWN IDENTITY You have to work really hard to make it in this particular business, because success doesn’t come easy.

Participating in competitions require a lot of money, time and energy. It really isn’t for everybody. You must have good contacts, a lot of confidence and talent. And you have to be able to present yourself well on stage.’

Of course, a lot of work is being copied, but I always 15

‘Both fragile and robust flowers are very beautiful to me. I’m currently making large frame bouquets, with very compact shapes at the centre and smaller ones on the outside. There, you will find personal

Clematis, Gloriosa and Craspedia. favourites like

16 Photo Nico Alsemgeest

the

17

18 Bride Roxanne Fequiere Photo Sylvie Rosokoff Hair Jalise Wright Makeup Jane Meng Dress Happy Isles Salon Flowers were provided by Doan Ly/A.P. Bio

GYPS IS BACK, AND IT’S HERE TO STAY GYPSOPHILA (OR BABY’S BREATH) HAS MADE A HUGE COMEBACK IN FLORAL DESIGN. SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF GYP IN THE 1950’S PEOPLE AND FLORISTS HAVE SEEN IT TRAPPED IN THE CHEAPER BOUQUETS EN EVERY TRADITIONAL FLOWER ARRANGEMENT. IT’S FORMER DUSTY IMAGE OF BEING A DULL FILLER LIES IN THE PAST AND THIS DELICATE FLOWER IS NOW HIGH FASHION. IT’S BACK AND MORE VERSATILE THAN EVER.

Gypsophila Xlence®

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Gypsophila Mirabella®

BABY’S BREATH - TAKING TRENDS Gypsophila is undergoing a transformation.

Flower designers are taking gyp to a whole new level, leaving the stigma in the past. Creating a delicate and captivating ambiance for weddings and events: gypsophila has become a leading lady in elegant pieces.

Gyp also turns out to be an inspiring ingredient for artistic flower compositions. It can be dyed, it can be dried and the variations of hues make up for a guaranteed gorgeous appeal. Mixed up with other flowers it creates an unexpected, surprising bloom.

Gyp is back and it can hold it’s own centre stage.

International Gyp Wedding Challenge Gyp has been here for a long time. Pure white and very natural looking, the Gyp is one of the most ‘basics’ of the cut flowers industry, commonly used to accompany roses or to give the ‘angelic’ look for a white, pastel bouquet.

Trends in fashion and style are now bringing Gyp to the center again.

Last year Danziger (a global leader and breeder in the Gypsophila market), held its first international

Design Ahti Lyra Photo Daniel Jordan Bride Merli

Gyp Wedding Challenge as part of its ‘Gyp is Back’ campaign. Designed to connect, excite and inspire

a small world after all. Creativity is borderless,

florists and wedding designers from around the world.

and this catalog is a unique celebration of creativity,

The challenge provided floral experts with an opportunity

diversification and the love of flowers.’

to show their talents by using Gyp to create beautifully imaginative bridal bouquets, centerpieces, aisle

Inspiring trend design and artistic creations

decorations, corsages and other wedding décor.

This summer another successful competition was

Finalists submitted photos of their work for

lauched by Danziger, this time together with Fusion

consideration of publication in a digital catalog,

Flowers Magazine. The judges have been blown away by

in which each of the designers, photographers and

the simply sensational designs that have been sent in

growers who supplied the flowers receive credit

for the Fusion Flowers magazine/Danziger Cut Flowers

for their work. Selected submissions are featured in

Special Event with Gypsophila competition.

Danziger’s international wedding catalog, which is available online at danzigeronline.com.

Thanks to these competitions the perceptions of

‘It was amazing to see that as much as culture and

Gypsophila are changing. This Gypsophila competition

countries are different, weddings are much the same,’

was such an inspiring challenge that they will run

said the global marketing manager at Danziger. ‘Love is

another competition next season!

an international language, and so is the love for flowers.

We saw different styles and designs, but one thing was clear: Gyp is one of the must haves. We realized that it is

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#gypsisback

Design Tomasz Kuczyńsk Photo Polish florist asociacion Marcin model Aleksandra Tobiczyk

Design Ahti Lyra Photo Evgeny Varlamov

Design Ahti Lyra Photo Sandra Palm Model Marika Mallas

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ORIGINALS

ASTRANTIA

STAR

OF BILLION®

Astrantia Star of Billion® Can you see the resemblance? The Dutch common name for the Astrantia is named after this traditional piece of jewelry: ‘Zeeuws knoopje’.

22

THE STORY OF TWO GUYS CONNECTING FLOWERS TO FASHION The Vogue Flower Market – one of the many events of LM Flower Fashion

23

ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, THE VOGUE FLOWER MARKET 2019 WAS HELD IN THE ENCHANTING GARDENS OF RIJKSMUSEUM IN AMSTERDAM. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY AND A TRUE FLOWER PARADISE. IN COOPERATION WITH VOGUE NEDERLAND, LM FLOWER FASHION PRODUCTIONS CREATED A FLORAL EVENT WHERE VISITORS COULD STYLE THEIR OWN BOUQUETS FROM FLOWERS BY DUTCH GROWERS. THERE WAS A VOGUE POP-UP STORE AND CAFÉ, A CHLOÉ-PHOTOBOOTH, ‘SPIN THE WHEEL’ BY MARC JACOBS, MOCKTAILS IN THE HUGO BOSS SCENT BAR, A PEELING MASTERCLASS BY PHILOSOPHY, A WELLA POP-UP SALON, LIVE MUSIC AND LOTS OF OTHER FUN THINGS TO ENJOY.

During the event, we spoke at length with the Founding Fathers of LM Flower Fashion Productions, Marc Knijnenburg and Raymond Bogaarts. Starting out in interior design, these days their floral arrangements take center stage in events and branding. The duo works for large international fashion houses, but also for many leading magazines, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and global stars like Kylie Minogue and Tina Turner.

Marc and Raymond told us everything about their work, their passions, and of course their role during The Vogue Flower Market and other events where flowers play a big part.

How did you end up in this business?

‘We have been doing events like the Vogue Flower Market for almost ten years now. It all began with doing interior styling for photo shoots with Dutch celebrities.

Back then, a lot of sets weren’t as glamorous as they should be, so they called us. We came in, removed all the old furniture and put in new furniture in order to make the pictures a little more marketable. We have been using flowers from the very start, and many of our clients became more and more interested in our approach. After a while, our flower arrangements got the leading roles in the photoshoots. When magazines started to book us for styling assignments we really took off. The high quality of our work, with a lot of special and surprising flowers

by Dutch growers, has become our trademark.’

The company is named Flower Fashion. Why is that?

‘Fashion is the number one inspiration for trends in both 24

interior and floral design. Fashion designers get a lot of inspiration from flowers. In their quest for originality, they go back to the base: nature. They use it for fashion fabrics, accessories and colours. You see a comparable development when it comes to scents and perfumes.

Colours, structures and prints inspire fashion designers.

Houses like Dior and Chanel use many flowers as inspiration and ingredients. Sometimes it has a more romantic touch, sometimes it’s more botanical.

‘Flowers are also frequently used in fashion shows.

You often see flower arrangements on the catwalk, but also many flowers in backdrops. We contribute to this trend by visualizing the concept described in the marketing strategy of a brand. We try to create a feeling that summarizes the brand, the campaign, the show or wedding. Our style is classic-contemporary.

In fact, we are not floral designers per se, but rather designer-stylists.’

You work for celebrities and brands around the world.

Any favourite places?

‘We love to work internationally. Through our experiences abroad, we have learned that the way

with a dinner in front of the Night Watch. That is great,

people look at flowers differs from place to place.

but it makes timing very intense. After the last daytime

Even the Belgians have a different point of view when

visitor has left, you have to get everything done within

it comes to flowers than the Dutch. And in Paris for

two hours. When an assignment like that succeeds, it is

example, you are truly treated as an artist. In that sense,

completely amazing.’

they value our work abroad more than in Holland.’

‘It has also happened that we had five events in different ‘We always love to work in Paris and London. They have

countries in a fortnight. And last year, we missed our

beautiful locations and great attention for detail. We did

flight (luckily, our team was already on location) and

a lot of work for the Dutch embassy in Paris. Working

arrived late at an event. If there are five different

with Dutch products in that setting was always very nice

countries and time is really tight, then part of our team

and exciting. There were all kinds of interesting events

travels ahead. They must be on location to receive the

there for which we designed the floral arrangements.

flowers and start the preparations.’

The ambassador opening the doors of his official residence for political and royal events, for example.

‘The transportation of the flowers is also important.

We also work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, by

We once had an assignment in Istanbul, but they

extension, Royal occassions. We have done a palace in

detained our flowers at the border. They didn’t get in,

Istanbul, but also embassies in London and Normandy.’

so to speak. We finally succeeded, but since we had to wait for two days, we needed two nights of extra work

Bizar or memorable assignments?

to meet our deadline.’

‘There have been a lot of special assignments, venues and moments. Sometimes we have an assignment at

‘Sometimes it’s not possible to work on location, for

a location that is truly unique, which makes the

example at a Royal Palace in London. Wonderful location,

assignment complicated. For example: The Rijksmuseum

where we did an event with jewelry. At the palace, 25

26

everything must be dry, no water can be used. When

Still things you really want to do in the near future?

you work with fresh flowers, this is obviously a problem.

‘Not really. I think we are very satisfied. Our work is

So we had to rent another location to prepare everything,

so diverse and even small events or the decoration of

and make sure that all our arrangements were dry when

a private dinner can give much satisfaction. A big

they arrived at the palace. So yes, some events are really

Disneyland Paris luxury dinner for Mickey Mouse’s

intense. But all those circumstances make it eventful as

birthday is of course super fun. But recently we had

well.’

an assignment for four tables with a family and that lady was so overjoyed and happy. That gives such a

Do you have any favourite flowers?

good feeling. The big things are often noticeable but

‘There is so much choice, so many colours, shapes and

the smaller assignments are really super nice.’

styles. Depending on the use during an event or for what brand, one specific flower can be exactly the right choice.

There is no particular favourite. In the past, carnations, for example, were flowers with a somewhat dusty image.

Now, with all the new colours, there is so much more choice that they fit very well in certain arrangements.

Roses and orchids remain beautiful and popular, but if you show the clematis at an event, people will be surprised, because they don’t know it yet. That is what makes that one particular flower special at a particular time. And sometimes certain forgotten flowers are suddenly rediscovered, such as Gypsophila.’

‘The products of Marginpar are very distinctive in this aspect. Distinctive in the sense that they have an

‘It has become a trend to market mono-products in a single vase.

That was certainly not the case in the past. Magazines have started to show this more and more in photography and interior trends, so it really has caught on.’

amazing range, are versatile and have a high quality.

For us, the cleanliness of the product is a giant plus.

The stems are nice and clean and ready to use. There is so little waste, we can almost use the flowers without preparing them. With its products, Marginpar shows that a by-product or bouquet filler can and often is a very important product. It has become a trend to market mono-products in a single vase. That was certainly not the case in the past. Magazines have started to show this more and more in photography and interior trends, so it really has caught on.’

Something you are most proud of?

‘Maybe the letters we did for VOGUE. We launched the letters of VOGUE on the canals during the launch of Vogue Netherlands. This was a huge deal back then and the launch was announced in large numbers. This needed to have a Dutch touch, so we decorated the letters with Dutch flowers. There was a big buzz around our work and people in the fashion industry still know us because of this particular job. That makes us proud.’

27

THE AMAZING WORLD OF A DESIGNER FLORIST by Alison Bradley How often do you hear the phrase Designer Florist? As the editor of an international floral design magazine, I hear it all the time but what is a designer florist? Nowadays there are so many labels applied to florists many of which are very confusing. Botanical Artist, Floral Artist, Floral Designer …

Designer Florist - the list of self-accredited titles is almost limitless. In real terms, we at Fusion Flowers magazine look for someone that shows genuine originality combined with excellent technique but there is something else that is less easy to describe. A certain Je ne sais quoi! You know it the moment you see it - at least we do! I can still recall the moment that the subject of my story stepped out on to a stage in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was our first meeting and without question - this was a Designer Florist and one that was destined for great things.

Annette at work

A Legend Discovered Every week we receive portfolios of designs many of which miss the point. When you apply to the editor of

presentation of flowers. In fact, she was recently

a floral design magazine the focus should always be on

commissioned by the editor-in-chief of Danish ELLE

the flowers. You would be amazed at how few people

magazine to create a flower wall and table decoration

realise that and become obsessed with make-up,

at the magazine’s latest event.

dresses, models and even nudity when they present their work. The result is that the flowers become at

Bringing the world of theatre to design

best secondary and sometimes are even out of focus.

We first saw her when she gave a catwalk presentation

Annette von Einem is based in Denmark and, although

in Copenhagen. Her audience were 99% florists and 1%

she is widely travelled, it is for her work with Danish

media. Annette seized this opportunity to show what she

fashion houses, events, catwalk shows and magazine

is capable of. The designs, which were all over-the-top,

features that she is best known. In fact, her work has

clearly showed that she was aware of the latest flower

graced the front cover for several issues of our

availability and Trends. Each flower or piece of foliage that

magazines. What sets her apart is that, almost from the

was used could clearly be seen and appreciated.

beginning, she realised not only the importance of great

A series of stylish models displayed her work and the

photography, good make-up that never distracts from

music was upbeat and dramatic. The audience loved her

the look she’s aiming for and interesting models but

presentation and she rightly received a standing ovation.

atmosphere and themes too. Initially, she found a muse

Although she was delighted by this response - she knew

in the form of a beautiful blue-eyed model and a superb

that if she created something exciting and unique the media

photographer. Annette cleverly combined original design

would cover it and we did! A star was born that night.

concepts with beautiful flowers that enhance the look and the atmosphere. Almost inevitably, the editors

Nordic style that makes a statement

of fashion magazines were drawn to her stylish

Without question, Nordic design is highly respected

28

presents and how she presents it. Years of hard work and study have given her the knowledge of how to use her flowers and what will or will not work. Like many designers from the Nordic nations, she loves to work with nature and her table concepts are famous. Where possible, she works directly in water with flowers that are perfect for her theme. Nowadays she is so well known that she has opportunities that many can only dream of but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t continue to keep up to date with new varieties that become available and changing styles. At the start of this article I asked within the flower industry and rightly so. Just look at the

the question ‘What is a Designer Florist?’ Quite simply

list of winners in international competitions and you will

it is someone with a unique vision and the ability to find

usually find a Nordic name that becomes an international

their own direction in floristry. Above all things is takes

icon. Annette has developed a style that combines the

dedication, hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit and

Nordic love of transparency with perfect use of colour

Annette von Einem has all of the above and more.

and respect for the flowers but uses them for dramatic

Welcome to the world of Annette von Einem.

impact. A few years ago, she travelled to Singapore to take part in the bi-annual Singapore Garden Festival Floral Windows of the World competition. She not only won a Gold Award but Best in Show too. Her ’window’ combined a single photograph of her muse with a series of ‘floral windows’ that altered as you walked by. It was a masterpiece of a myriad of small flowers with perfect colour harmony. The people who visited (500,000) loved the work.

Botanical knowledge is essential One thing that Annette is passionate about is that the flowers she uses are top quality. She knows that a

Design Annette Von Einem

reputation can be made or broken based on what she

Design for Bo Bedre

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Design Frédéric Dupré Sikastone

30

ORIGINALS

HYPERICUM

SAKURA FLAIR®

Do you have the feeling something is off in your house? Feel that you are not alone, while you know you should be? Maybe you could benefit from some Hypericum! It used to be placed above photos in the house during St. John’s Day to ward off evil spirits. Hence the general name St. John’s wort.

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PASTEL LOVE Phoebe vase h 43,5 cm Riverdale

Clematis Amazing® Tokyo

Harlow

ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL

pastel watch Komono Women’s Gray Eclypse Pastel Sneakers Stellamccartney

Plant box plant table h 65 x w 60 x d 25 cm Ferm Living

Clematis Amazing® Miami ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL 32

Dianthus Hermes Orange ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL

Gallery diner plate 20 x 33 cm

Rubik clock

HKLiving

Ø 20 cm Cloudnola

Alvar aalto vase 25,1 cm Iittala

Delphinium Guardian Lavender SPECIALS MARGINPAR.NL

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BLUE MONDAY FL/Y hanging lamp LED h 33 cm, Ø 52 cm Kartell

Aster Dark Milka SEASONALS MARGINPAR.NL Lina armchair h 96 x w 74 x d 92 cm

B.For Rock flowerpot

Vestbjerg

h 16 cm Elho

Beetle Slow Puzzle 500 pcs.

DOIY

Clematis Amazing® Blue Pirouette 34

ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL

Delphinium Volkerfrieden SPECIALS MARGINPAR.NL

Scabiosa Lavender Scoop® SPECIALS MARGINPAR.NL

Bicycle repair kit h 8 x w 11 x d 3 cm Kikkerland

Bottoms up vase h 21,5 x ø 11,5 cm Hay

My Superhero vase h 27,5 cm JASMINDJERZIC.NL

Eryngium Magnetar Questar® ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL Studio plate Ø 34 cm PIP 35

VIVIDLY VIBRANT Linen/suede bag yellow h 38 cm HKliving

Dianthus Grand Slam ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL

Royal Doulton 1815 Serving dishes Ø 17 cm Royal Doulton

Eames Elephant Mini h 21 x w 20,5 x d 39 cm Vitra

Pupillow Velvet Lounge Pillow h 30 x Ø 120 cm Fatboy

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Bloom Mok Melamine 0,3 L Dianthus Pink Montezuma

Mepal

ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL Goodnight Light Piña Colada Lamp h 35 cm

Coinbank Parrot h 54,5 x w 15 cm &k amsterdam

Kartell I Shine Vase h 33 x b 20 xd 9,5 cm Kartell

Asclepias Tuberosa Heron King Pink

Solidago Carzan Glory®

ORIGINALS MARGINPAR.NL

SPECIALS MARGINPAR.NL

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Craspedia â„¢ Paintball Pop

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The bridal bouquet series ‘Queens’: a collection or bridal bouquets that are shaped as royal cups cups and orbs, for brides that want to feel like queens on their wedding day.

Design Alina Popa Photo Vlad Bîrdu 39

UNCONVENTIONAL FLOWER DESIGN

by Alina Popa

THE WORK YOU SEE HERE AND ON THE COVER IS MADE BY ALINA POPA, A 36-YEAR-OLD WEDDING FLORIST FROM ROMANIA. SHE IS FOUNDER OF NO NO NO: AN UNCONVENTIONAL FLOWER DESIGN STUDIO DEDICATED TO NONCONFORMIST BRIDES. ‘I SPECIALIZE IN STRUCTURAL FLOWER DESIGN. SOMETIMES I GO FOR BOLD, CLEAR LINES AND OTHER TIMES I LIKE TO TRY OUT DESIGNS THAT ARE FLUID, FEMININE AND FULL OF COLOR. IT DEPENDS ON THE BRIDE. IF THERE IS A CONSTANT IN MY WORK, I ALWAYS LOOK FOR HARMONY AND I TRY TO KEEP THE DESIGNS AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE.’

BAM! MAGIC HAPPENED! Alina grew up on a farm, surrounded by nature. After a disappointing Art study, she discovers flowers: ‘And then bam! Magic happened! It was instant love, early spring 2008. I was so blinded by it that I opened my first flower shop two months later, even though I had no experience with flowers or running a business. I gave up on the shop a month later. It was so stupid and reckless that I still laugh about it. But my love for flower design remained ever since, and though it took many other stupid decisions and failures, I never gave up on it.’

ALINA WITH THE LIGHT HANDS ‘Gregor Lersch, whom I admire a lot, called me ‘Alina with the light hands’ and told me I have a light touch with flowers, and I should use it. I felt honored and I’m doing my best to remember it every time I work.’ Alina tries hard to stay inspired: ‘I don’t think ideas come like magic out of nowhere. I think they get built inside of us from what we see every day.’ She sees a trend in ‘Diversity’. Alina: ‘I notice such a variety of styles, materials and techniques out there, and so many designers using them freely, that to me it seems that 40

‘Queens of the dollhouse’ Design Alina Popa Photo Vlad Bîrdu Model Andra Dumitrache Make-up Mihaela Cherciu Hairstyle Claudiu Alex Sarghe

41

individuality is the main thing these days.’ It is something

how good you are. For Alina it became too much, and in

that clearly shows in her work, that is, as she describes it,

2017 she adjusted her priorities. ‘I went to a Rosa Valls/

‘unconventional’. Technical masterpieces, showing a lot

Andreea Stör workshop, where, as a final assignment, I

of patience in her detailed work. Most of the time,

got a nut from which I was supposed to make a bridal

the flowers are sealed, because they are wired or glued

bouquet. After I finished my bouquet, I realized I smiled

to the frame.

all the way through the process, which never happened

THE QUEEN SERIES: FAME & GLORY

before while I was working. Not only that, but I just breezed through the entire assignment. I realized that

Alina’s technical skills stand out in her Queen series,

I don’t need to prove anything to anyone, anymore. I just

she started in 2014. ‘Queens of the dollhouse’ was first.

need to do things that make me happy. My direction is

Alina tried to portray a choice she made at the time:

clear and simple. I want to steadily grow my business,

to become a successful flower designer. Alina: ‘That

while helping nonconformist women like myself to

is why the front is filled with beautiful flowers fit for a

showcase their individuality and femininity with

queen (my image of success), while the back it’s a hard

unconventional and beautiful bridal bouquets.

and intricate corset, not so pretty anymore, that shows

And I am happy doing this. I find my work rewarding.’

the struggles, the hard work, the sacrifices and compromises that I had to make.’

NOT AFRAID TO FAIL

For her second Queen series, ‘Queens of Ipse’, Alina

Alina has a tip for all starting designers reading this

turned the idea of success into a crown that can take

article: ‘Don’t try to learn things the hard way, like I did.

many shapes and colours, making us feel happy,

In 2008 there were no flowers schools in Romania, and

powerful or even lonely sometimes. But then: ‘I realized

you could barely find anything on the internet.

that being successful is not about fame and glory, but

But now there are so many options! Go to school, do an

about being who I want to be, doing the things I want

internship, learn from professionals before opening your

to do and simply enjoying my own life.’

business. And more importantly, experiment and exercise

I JUST NEED TO DO THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

all the time. Don’t be afraid to fail, because mistakes are part of the learning process.’

Alina experienced that life changing turnaround in 2017.

Many florists may struggle with the same issues as Alina did: pushing yourself to be cool, do cool things, work with cool people, contently proving to the world just

‘Gregor Lersch, whom I admire a lot, called me ‘Alina with the light hands’ and told me I have a light touch with flowers, and I should use it.’

42

SEASONALS

CRASPEDIA

PAINTBALL™ POP

Craspedia is hot! The bigger the better. Lucky you, we have the Craspedia Paintball™ series that’s known for its extraordinary large yellow heads. Let your creativity POP!

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‘Queens of Ipse’ Design Alina Popa Photo Vlad Bîrdu Model Marie Damian Art direction & post production Alexandru Nimurad Make-up Diana Ionescu Hairstyle Alex Șomandroiu

44

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ORIGINALS

CLEMATIS

AMAZING® KIBO

Clematis Amazing® Kibo is very different from the normal Amazing® flowers.

Wondering why it looks so fluffy? The Kibo is harvested in a later stage, and what you are seeing is a more mature flower head that has already lost its flower petals.

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MOVING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE The floriculture sustainability initiative

t

he Marginpar Group embraces the need for more

sustainability. We want to go beyond compliance within country legislation and strive to meet international best practice standards in our industry. We actively pursue benefits to people -our work force and communitiesand the environment.

Environmental sustainability We are a proud member of the FSI2020 initiative.

FSI stands for Floriculture Sustainability Initiative.

Together, we want to achieve a sustainable production of 90% for all plants and flowers. When it comes to environmental sustainability, there is still a lot of work to be done. At the moment, we look very closely at the ways pesticides and fertilizer are being used. We are changing over to the use of LED lights, which enables us to significantly reduce the amount of energy needed for production. We use solar panels were possible and we make sure that the farms are using the available water as smartly as possible. All of the precipitation is being

About FSI 2020

harvested and stored in large lagoons. But we want to do more, want to achieve more. We look beyond what is strictly necessary and truly go for the extra mile when it comes to sustainability.

A shared vision If we want to start and keep moving towards a sustainable floriculture sector, we need to develop a shared vision. In order to reverse the fragmentation of standards and to create new structures for tackling current and future sustainability issues this is key.

FSI2020 connects all members of the sector to aim for innovation, in line with the Sustainable Development

The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative was founded in 2012 and brings together over 40 front runners from the floriculture sector.

They share the goal of finding more sustainable solutions on both social and environmental aspects for the future of the sector, and set themselves the ambition to have 90% flowers and plants responsibly produced and traded by 2020.

Goals. Growers, traders, retailers, standards and civil society organizations, members of FSI, and governments 47

join forces to accelerate sustainable volumes and create impact on key sustainability topics.

Improve social conditions Strengthening the capacity of the sector to take action at farm level is a key aspect to improve social conditions and enhance the sustainability of supply chains.

Initiatives towards decent wages, gender equality, and health & safety have proven to benefit workers and improve results for the business.

‘We are a proud member of the FSI2020 initiative. FSI stands for Floriculture

Sustainability Initiative. Together, we want to achieve a sustainable production of 90% for all plants and flowers.’

48

KEY TOPICS FSI2020 Agrochemical use

The climate

Responsible use and management of agrochemicals is critical to protect the safety and health of workers, the environment, and security in the supply chain.

Projects covers raising awareness, increasing transparency, and investing in practical solutions that are better for people, businesses and the environment.

Improvements towards responsible use of natural resources and the reduction of CO2 emissions are necessary not only for the environment but also for our economies and communities. Scalable solutions within the supply chain are being put in place by FSI members to soften impacts of energy use, water, transport and waste.

Transparency Increased transparency and traceability in the supply chain is critical to support social and environmental improvements of the sector. This includes topics such as health, safety, working hours, wages, as well as the use of chemicals, substrates, water management, and many more.

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How we all benefit:

Marginpar’s sustainable approach

Resource efficiency We are serious about environmental improvements.

employees make specific requests, we help them.

Through resource-efficiency, cleaner production,

If our people are healthy and happy, our business

promoting biodiversity and environmental remediation.

flourishes too.

Kaizen teams measure resource usages and seeking ongoing efficiency improvement. For example, the aqua

Labour benefits

check units enable the monitoring of water levels in the

We implemented a Japanese method of working: Kaizen.

soil profile down to a depth of 60cm, this has resulted

This management system allows staff participation and

in up to 25% water saving.

recommendations for improved production and farm operations. All the employees, from management to the

All farms generate their own compost out of flower trim.

persons in the field, develop a great sense of ownership

Storm and flood water is harvested for re-use in a

in their work. As a result, the Marginpar Group has only

containment dam. And to reduce the amount of

a 3% turnover in its total staff, and 50% of positions

pesticides used, we use ‘spot spraying’. Flower pickers

are filled by women.

are trained to recognize types of pests, each presented by a different colour flag. They plant the appropriate colour flag where the pest was seen, and the pesticide is applied in that area only.

Community benefits Marginpar has already invested heavily in social matters in recent years. We’ve helped build several schools and additional class rooms. We support children going to high school. We support the physically handicapped.

We partner with the government concerning security issues. We provide soap and other essentials to day care centres. We try to improve the roads. And if our 50

Certifications All our locations in Kenya are KFC Silver Label Certificated by the Kenya Flower Council.

This certificate is based on environmental and socio-economic principles which ensure certified producers foster sustainable, responsible and safe production of cut flowers and ornamentals.

The Standard covers good agricultural practice, human resource management and workers welfare, good governance, health & safety, environmental protection & conservation, and post-harvest management. In Ethiopia, our farm has MPS-A and MPS-SQ certification. The MPS-ABC certificate is a unique world standard and works as a benchmark in demonstrating to what extent our operations are environmentally friendly. There are three different levels, MPS-A, MPS-B and MPS-C. MPS-A certified is the most environmentally friendly. MPS-SQ stands for ‘Socially Qualified’ and focusses on Health & Safety, and good working conditions. The Ethiopian farm also has an EHPEA Silver qualification; for a sustainable social and environmental development in the floriculture sector.

51 Photo Sala Lewis

ORIGINALS

ERYNGIUM

SIRIUS

QUESTAR®

Looking for something special?

The Eryngium Sirius Questar® the only white Eryngium on the market!

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ORIGINALS

SOLIDAGO

CARZAN GLORY®

Need to wish someone good luck? Make a bouquet with Solidago!

This flower symbolizes of happiness and success. This vibrant yellow filler is a strong and voluminous cut flower, making it ideal for use in mixed bouquets.

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MARGINPAR INSTA

@MARGINPAR #MARGINPAR #UNIQUEFLOWERS #SIGNEDBYOURPEOPLE LET’S BE FRIENDS! YOU CAN FIND US ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, TWITTER AND LINKEDIN.

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The wonders of Africa The ideal climate for the flowers of Marginpar can be found in Africa.

To be precise: in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia.

While some flowers enjoy mild temperatures, others thrive at high altitudes.

Each country has its own unique qualities, which contribute to the creation of unique flowers. But they offer more than perfect growing conditions...

Join us on a journey and discover the wonders of Africa!

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Zimbabwe where it all began

ZIMBABWE IS THE FIRST COUNTRY WHERE MARGINPAR STARTED TO GROW FLOWERS, IT HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS. THE COUNTRY IS APPLAUDED FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL VARIED NATURE, FRIENDLY PEOPLE AND GREAT CULTURAL HERITAGE. AFTER MANY YEARS OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, A NEW WIND IS BLOWING OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE HOPE AND CONFIDENCE IN RECOVERY IS GETTING STRONGER AND STRONGER. HOTELS AND LODGES ARE REOPENING THEIR DOORS AND THE LOCALS ARE EAGER TO WELCOME GUESTS IN THEIR ‘HOUSE OF STONE’ (THE TRANSLATION OF ‘ZIMBABWE’ IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE SHONA).

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Field of Astrantia Star of Billion ®

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Back to the glory days Zimbabwe has many exceptional national parks,

Hills National Park, with a size of 424 km². About a

such as Hwange National Park, Nyanga National Park,

quarter of this is shielded for the endangered white and

Gonarezhou National Park and the Mana Pools National

black rhino. Other animals are also found in the park,

Park. These game parks are home to lots of wildlife like

including birds of prey. The granite hills, also called

lions, giraffes, moose, elephants and zebras. A number

‘heads’, were formed millions of years ago by erosion

of other attractions are Lake Caribara, the river Zambezi

and weather influences. They owe their name to Ndebele

and the Eastern Highlands. The landscape is hilly and

King Mzilikazi, who drew a comparison with bald heads.

has several mountain areas. The population is hospitable

In various caves in the park there are rock drawings of

and friendly. Zimbabwe wants to return to the glory days

San (Bushmen), one of the oldest remains in Zimbabwe.

when it was one of the most beautiful countries in Africa

The San decorated their temporary caves and huts with

and it has all the potential to achieve that goal. A lot of

images of the hunt, their spirituality and way of life.

work is being done to rebuild the country and tourism is a great help.

The farms: a long history In 1988 Marginpar started growing flowers in Africa,

The Great Zimbabwe

in Zimbabwe to be exact. We still work closely with our

The history of Zimbabwe is based on the ruins of Great

three partner farms, that grow our flowers under licence.

Zimbabwe, which bear witness to a once prosperous

The farms produce the Astrantia Star®, Thalictrum,

kingdom. A monument that has endured many storms

Clematis Amazing® and the Eryngium Questar® series.

over the centuries and is now a symbol of the indestructibility of Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans are rightly proud of this old city that gave the country its current name. Modern techniques show that the city was inhabited around 1200 A.D. but was suddenly abandoned a few centuries later.

‘The smoke that thunders’ Zimbabwe has several UNESCO heritage areas to its name: the Khami ruins, Mana Pools National Park and the Victoria Falls. These world-famous waterfalls, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, are one of the biggest attractions of the country. They are referred to by the locals as Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the smoke that thunders’,

FACTS There are 1 6 official la nguages in Zimbab we, includ ing Englis Shona and h, North Ndeb ele.

Zimbabwe has a temp erate clima During the te. winter mon ths temperature s are betwee n 25 and 35 degrees an d during the summer months th ey are around 20 to 25 degre es.

and fall down over a width of about 1,700 metres and from a height of 110 metres. At the end of the rain season (around May), when the water in the Zambezi river is at its highest, almost 550 million litres of water per minute collapses, with an enormous force into the depths. The waterfalls are at their fullest during this period and the huge cloud of mist can be seen from miles away.

Granite hills and ancient rock paintings In the Matabeleland region lies Bulawayo, the second largest city in the country after Harare. Here are also the Khami ruins. The main attraction, however, is Matobo 58

km² ,757 0 9 3 ea: ace ar illion Surf 14 m : n llar o i at we do b a d b Popul Zim ly an : u J y c , e n : Jun avel Curre period s to tr l h e t v n a o r st m Best t , the the be e r onths a t m s e u s nt Aug n the pleasa bwe. I t a s b o m the m to Zi n. es are r u seaso t a n r i e a p tem the r avoid u o y and

A new wind is blowing over the country and the hope and confidence in recovery is getting stronger and stronger.

59

When the water in the Za almost 550 million litres of with an enormous f

60

ambezi river is at its highest, f water per minute collapses, force into the depths.

61

62

TANZANIA

The natural treasure of

eastern Africa

Let’s go on a journey

Did you know ‘Safari’ means ‘Journey’ in Swahilli? Tanzania is a compelling safari destination. In the south, you have the Selous, the world’s largest game reserve.

In the north, the sweeping plains of the Serengeti are justifiably the most famous park in Africa, while nearby Ngorongoro Crater is perhaps the most scenically dramatic.

The remote west, meanwhile, is home to what Africa’s top chimpanzee tracking sites, namely Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains. And while the eastern coastal belt is somewhat lacking in big game, compensation comes in the form of the forested Eastern Arc Mountains, home to a dazzling diversity of birds, monkeys, chameleons and flowering plants found nowhere else in the world. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, which are also part of Tanzania, are known for their marvellous beaches and dive sites with beautiful coral reefs.

Field of Polianthes Tuberosa

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CLEMATIS AMAZING® BLUE PIROUETTE

A giant in the sky From the Serengeti to Zanzibar, Tanzania has more than its share of African travel icons. None, however, surpasses Mount Kilimanjaro, whose snow-capped Uhuru Peak is the highest point on the continent. Rising in breathtaking isolation from the dusty scrubland along the Kenya border, Kilimanjaro, when measured from 900m base to 5,895-metre peak, also ranks as the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

Scenically, Kilimanjaro can be something of a non-event, spending most of its time with its head shrouded in cloud. But when this veil lifts, typically in the late afternoon, it’s difficult to imagine a more inspirational sight than this distinctive snow-capped outline towering a full 5km above the likes of Moshi or Arusha National Park.

Long-term cooperation with our partner farms Marginpar has been working with three partner farms in northern Tanzania since 2002.

The locations, near Mount Kilimanjaro, provide unique conditions for our flowers.

In Tanzania we grow the Clematis Amazing® series, Asclepias, Gloriosa, Jathropa Firecracker, Polianthes and Chasmanthium.

64

i. wahil nks in S d n ha ha Englis e spoken, t cluding e r a ar , in nia Ta n z a l a n g u a g e s Ta n z a n i a n i s s in ent age FACTS icial langu 100 differ erent tribe f n ff s The of l more tha of 120 di city i t s e e g a c r t e la In to the presen ut th b o , t a t b par which Domo i. m a s o s i r a f l a a ries the M icial capit count n-ia. o f f w o t a .

The o n o f a r : Ta n - Z i alaam t S c a s r e zib ont Dar e is a c and Zan a i res ar s n u t a a a k z i r n e y a emp area angan ame T ate. T he higher m The n ccurred: T i l c o ical In t a trop ar round. lower. it has s a h ye nia rees Ta n z a d e g r e e s a l l a g e 1 0 d e g : E T CLIMA 20 to 30 re on aver d a aroun peratures m e the t km ,303 7 4 9 a ce are Surfa n millio 7 und, 5 : ON ar ro I e T y A l g L l ea illin POPU cessibl in period an sh c i a n a y z l Ta n l ra easi ia is . The smal nd the NCY: n E a R z R U n C : Ta ay. riods ber a ERIOD o rainy pe of Novem e end of M P L E end e tw TRAV to th BEST h there ar ober to the of March g d ct althou om mid-O om the en fr fr 65 runs ain period r large

Kenya has it all A TOURIST GUIDE

Savannah plains, reef valleys, moss-green rainforests,

natural park, where you have a view of the giant

huge mountains and a sublime wealth of animals.

mountain Kilimanjaro of Tanzania. Kenya’s highest

A white coastline and coloured coral reefs on the Indian

mountain is Mount Kenya. In the afternoon its snowy

Ocean. Kenya has it all.

mountain top hangs about 5199 meters high in the clouds.

Wildlife A few times a year the largest natural traffic jam in the Masai Mara National Park occurs. Thousands of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles thunder over the dusty savannah plains. In the rainforest of the Kakamega Forest Reserve you will find hidden waterfalls and roaring Brazza monkeys. The flora and fauna in Kenya are very varied. You can spot leopards and lions while walking through the rugged volcanic landscape of Hell’s Gate National Park, or encounter hippos and Nile crocodiles in the rivers.

Mount Kenya Amboseli National Park is located on the southern border. Hordes of elephants are passing through this 66

City life

Facts

Is your camera full of stunning images of the natural beauty? Time to look up the crowds. In the cities of

English and Swahili are both official languages in

Malindi and Mombasa you will find a mixture of

Kenya, but a total of 61 different languages are

Swahili, European and Indian influences. Or visit Nairobi,

spoken.

the vibrant capital of Kenya. Nairobi is nicknamed the

The climate is tropical, due to influences of the

‘safari capital of the world’ thanks to all the nature parks

Indian Ocean and close location on the equator.

in the vicinity of the metropolis.

As a result, it is dark practically as long as it is light, and the days are almost the same all year round.

Growing flowers at 2700m

The temperature is almost constant throughout

Marginpar has eight production sites in Kenya. Most of

the year. On the coast it is around 29 degrees

the farms are situated on average around 2000 metres

during the day and around 23 degrees at night.

high, with peaks of up to 2700 metres. The constant

Inland it is around 23 degrees during the day and

climate and the many hours of sunshine are ideal growing

around 12 degrees at night.

conditions for our flowers. In Kenya we grow: Hypericum

Surface area 591,958 km²

Flair®, Clematis Amazing®, Dianthus, Solidago, Astrantia

Population 50 million

Star®, Craspedia, Eryngium Questar®, Gypsophila,

Currency Kenyan Shilling

Helleborus, Astilbe, Ornithogalum, Delphinium.

Best travel periods Jan/Feb and June/October.

Limonium and the Scabiosa Scoop® series.

From March to May and from the end of October to December there is a lot of precipitation.

Field of Ammi Visnaga Casablanca

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The constant climate and the many hours of sunshine are ideal growing conditions for our flowers.

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Surprisingly Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA IS SURPRISING, IN EVERY WAY! THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE AND MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE NORTH TO THE WARM AND PRISTINE SOUTH, WHERE THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES LIVE. FOR BOTH CULTURE LOVERS AND THOSE WHO LOVE ADVENTURE, ETHIOPIA IS THE IDEAL COUNTRY TO EXPLORE. VOLCANIC PLATEAU Ethiopia consists for a large part of a volcanic high plateau that is surrounded on three sides by a low-lying desert. The Ethiopian highlands have an average height of 2000 meters, with peaks up to 4000 meters. This area has numerous rivers (including the Blue Nile), lakes and valleys. South of Addis Ababa runs the Rift Valley, which begins at the Red Sea and runs right through to Mozambique. In the southwest of the country you will find savannah and rainforests.

FLORA AND RARE FAUNA Ethiopia is home to 14 National Parks where you can see different species such as lions, hippos, leopards, elephants, zebras and hyenas. There are also waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains, salt lakes, hot springs and ravines. The country has several deserts. In some of these deserts there still are nomadic tribes.

The highlands are green, fertile and densely vegetated during the rainy season (July and August). In September and October, the highlands are dotted with vast fields of wild flowers. In Ethiopia you find endemic animal species such as the Guereza monkey, the Gelada baboon, the Simien fox and the Ibex: the Ethiopian wolf.

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A STEP BACK IN TIME TO A WORLD WONDER In Lake Tana there are 37 islands with centuries-old monasteries where you can travel to by boat.

Devote monks show the most beautiful murals and church treasures. In Gondar, for centuries the capital of Ethiopian emperors, you will find impressive medieval castles and churches with beautiful frescoes. In Axum, where according to the Ethiopians the Queen of Sheba lived, you will find old obelisks full of inscriptions.

Lalibela is a highlight for almost every traveller.

Fourteen Orthodox churches are carved out of the rocks, it is not surprising that UNESCO considers this one of the wonders of the world. Wander through a system of squares, trenches and subterranean corridors, carved into the rocks, taking you from church to church.

Intrusive singing during a prayer service and fragrant incense burners contribute to a spiritual atmosphere.

FESTIVAL VIBE Religion festivals are an important part of the lives of Ethiopians. The festivals are colourful, vibrant, taking you back centuries. The Timkat festival is the largest and most famous festival in Ethiopia. In several cities the festival commemorates the baptism of Christ by John the 72

Baptist in the Jordan River. It is celebrated throughout, but the most impressive ceremony takes place in Gondar.

Tens of thousands of pilgrims come to Gondar from far and wide to attend the ceremony. The Pope (of the Orthodox Tewahedo Church) baptizes the water of the bath of Fasiledes just his golden cross. All the people who want to be baptized jump into the bath, filled with the sacred water from the Qaha River.

MARGINPAR ETHIOPIAN FARM Our Ethiopian farm is located near Holetta, west of Addis Ababa, at an altitude of 2,500 meters. The mild climate ensures a year-round production of our flowers.

In Ethiopia we produce Eryngium Questar® varieties, the Astrantia Star® series, Ornithogalum and Crocosmia.

Facts

The official language is Amharic,

are between 20 and 25 degrees.

but the largest language is Afaan

In the lower areas the temperatures

Oromo. In total, 90 different

are around 30 to 40 degrees.

languages are spoken in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar. A year consists of twelve months of thirty days and a thirteenth month with five or six days.

This calendar is seven years and eight

Surface area: 1,104,300 km² Population: 108 million Currency: birr Best travel period: January,

February, March, April, May, October,

months behind our Gregorian calendar.

November and December are the best

Ethiopia has a moderate climate.

months. This avoids the long rainy

In the higher regions the temperatures

season.

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SPECIALS

POLIANTHES

PINK

SAPPHIRE

The Polianthes must have one of the best smells flowers can bring.

No wonder extracts are often used in perfumery.

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SPECIALS

CHASMANTHIUM

LATIFOLIUM

An ongoing trend these days is the use of grasses, green or dried.

The Chasmanthium Latifolium is one of our most popular grasses, giving a playful twist to any bouquet.

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76 Photo Sala Lewis

THE KAIZEN WAY An inspiring journey to sustainable growth

M

arginpar has invested heavily in social

VALUE ADDERS

matters in recent years. Richard (Kiki) Fernandes, CEO of the Marginpar group, explained why this matters to

Our management is based on trusting, valuing and

them so much.

empowering people. A lot of our staff, or value adders as we call them, have grown thanks to this way of thinking.

‘We have asked ourselves the central question: ‘how do

They started with a red cap, as unskilled workers, and

we want to interact with our people?’. The focus is mainly

are now our managers. Take Miriam for example.

on our branches in Africa, where we try to offer practical

She started as a junior and is now a Farm Manager

help. For example, we assist the villages in the vicinity

at our Thika farm. The same goes for Adan, our Kaizen

of our projects. This can be about water supply, but

Coordinator. Although he couldn’t go to high school,

also about training. If our employees make specific

he has grown into his role and has become an excellent

requests, we help them. Furthermore we embraced

coordinator. Our current HR manager started in

and implemented the Kaizen-method throughout our

production, she became a cleaner at the office and

company. The Japanese word kaizen means ‘change for

because we recognized that she was eager to learn,

better’. For us it also means trust and improvement.’

we paid her school fees.’

IT’S ALL ABOUT TRUST ‘In 2012 we implemented a Japanese method of working, called ‘Kaizen’, or what we refer to as Hamuka.

It’s about culture and organisation in which trust is a key element. Moving away from the traditional ‘top down’ approach, it’s not about the management and those individuals in positions of power pushing things to get done, while the employees beneath them don’t understand what’s happening and why. It’s about an organisation that values people. Look, most people come to do a good day of honest work. That’s why you have to ask yourself why things go wrong. It’s not about who is the problem, but what is the problem.

It’s all about trust. Trust is so important. Thanks to this attitude people can actually grow.‘

‘This is more than just a workplace.

Marginpar is one big family.’

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‘Very few companies realise how important the culture of your business is.’

INCREASED PERFORMANCE ‘Kaizen - Hamuka not only grows people. We have increased our performance and production per m2 and we have increased our turnover. That’s where the benefits are coming from. In the meantime, our people are happy. We look after them. We want to have a decent working environment for them: clean and effective.

As Kaizen says: a place for everything and everything in its place. We’re a very open company in terms of financial and strategical information. We try to share where we are now and where we are going with the different teams involved. Everyone knows about our company’s targets and everybody knows their own personal target.’

OUR PEOPLE ARE NUMBER ONE With Kaizen we were able to almost double our production between 2012 and 2017. We achieved this with the same number of employees and we did it without expanding our m2. We use only what we need, meaning we have practically no inventory. We turn our inventory over 52 times in a year, meaning that we hold only one weeks inventory in our stores. To achieve this you must have a good relationship with your suppliers, so we invest in this. That’s also something I’ve learned from Kaizen: business is about partnerships, it’s all about relationships. Look after your people and they will look after your customers. Your people are number one.

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ‘We have a social responsibility. We have an impact on our employees but also on our environment and the communities in which we operate. We have a corporate social responsibility. We’ve helped build several schools and additional class rooms. We support children going to high school. We support the physically handicapped.

We partner with the government concerning security issues like burglary and carjacking. We try to improve the roads. We know there are issues with clean drinking water, so every employee on the farms is allowed to take five litres of clean water home each day. We have a nurse and a medical team on each farm. We also provide soap and other essentials to day care centres.

We acknowledge that problems in the community have an impact on the employees and their production, so we want them to know that they can turn to us.’

Richard (Kiki) Fernandes – CEO Marginpar Group

SOME OF OUR SOCIAL PROJECTS ELECTRIC FENCE PROJECT, RHINO ARK FOUNDATION

We have contributed to this project every year since 2007 and will continue to do so in the future.

Rhino ark was established in 1988 as a charitable trust to help save Kenya’s Black rhino population in the Aberdare ecosystem.

The rhinos were under severe threat of poaching for their highly valuable horn.

The scope of the initial project evolved into a much more ambitious task of protecting the entire Aberdare conservation area, with an electric fence.

MAWINGU ROAD, NANYUKI The Company helps to maintain the public road leading to our Nanyuki farm. The road previously had been neglected for years and consequently had substantial damage due to long term erosion. The road benefits the community at large and the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) who use it for training.

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TWO SCHOOLS IN KANGAITA Kangaita Mixed Day Secondary School and Kangaita Primary school are both government day schools located in Kangaita Sub location, Meru County. Our Company has constructed classrooms blocks and laboratories, whilst also providing textbooks for the schools.

We continue to support both the schools and their students.

KARAMANI PRIMARY SCHOOL We helped contributed towards the purchasing of land and the building of Karamaini Primary School, which is based in Karamaini just outside Nairobi. We built eight Classrooms, a staff room, the headmaster’s office and washrooms for both girls and boys.

The Company still supports the school and will do in the future.

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2nd grade students in old classroom

SPECIALS

ASCLEPIAS

TUBEROSA HERON KING PINK

You might find a butterfly in your wild flower bouquet when using this one!

The Asclepias tuberosa goes under the general name ‘Butterfly Weed’.

They are attracted by the bright colours and large production of nectar.

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Photo Mathilde Karrèr

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BAS MEEUWS A 21ST CENTURY MASTER SO. VERY. TALL. THAT’S THE FIRST THING WE NOTICE WHEN WE SHAKE THE HAND OF ARTIST BAS MEEUWS. MEASURING TWO METRES HE EASILY STANDS OUT IN A CROWD, BUT: ‘IT’S ACTUALLY REALLY PRACTICAL’. MEEUWS PHOTOGRAPHS THE FLOWERS FOR HIS WORKS OF ART ONE BY ONE. HIS CAMERA IN ONE HAND, A FLOWER IN THE OTHER. LONG ARMS ARE A GREAT BENEFIT. ‘HERE: A SKULL. SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THAT.’ Let me introduce you: Bas Meeuws, 44 years old, artist.

A quite recent profession. Meeuws makes hyper-realistic photographic paintings, has two books to his name and exhibits from Delhi to Taipei. In his previous life, however, he worked as a (manual) physiotherapist for more than 20 years. A new year’s resolution on January first, 2010 changed everything. He accepted a challenge to do more with his talent and slowly transformed into an artist.

As soon as the children were asleep, Meeuws went to work. He had always been interested in photography, and the evenings turned out to be a perfect moment for photographing still lifes: ‘For night photography, you have to go out the door, and that didn’t seem like anything to me. I just wanted to play around for a couple of hours’. Meeuws has taught himself the art of photography and image processing. ‘I was on photography forums a lot and when I saw something cool there, I would just experiment. So, build some still lifes, just see what’ll happen. Soon you’ll end up with fruit, vegetables, still lifes like that. Until my wife, an art teacher, came home with a skull: ‘You can do something with that too’. So, I did. It looked nice, but it was very explicit ‘death’. Still, you’re already working in the 17th-century genre at that point. And I really liked flower still lifes, so while brainstorming I came up with the idea to photograph the flowers one by one. With a photographed bouquet you can see that it is a photographed bouquet; it is what it is. You can see that gravity exists.’

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PLAYING WITH THE UNREAL

CATCHING A MOMENT OUT OF TIME

‘In the 17th-century paintings you come across very

Striking about Meeuws’ work is that flowers are used at

strange compositions, which are not possible in real life.

different stages of their life cycle. In the bud, flowering,

They weren’t painted truthfully either. An artist at the

but also blown. Meeuws: ‘A flower has a short life span;

time could not afford a real tulip at all, that was far too

I catch that moment out of time. I photograph them the

expensive. Their work was often based on sketches,

moment they hit me, and that includes transience.

tulip books. They used it to make a bouquet. If you look

Finished flowers also represent the circle of life: the

closely, there are flowers in it from all kinds of seasons,

flower forms buds, with seeds and berries. You can see

you could never create that in real life.’

that as the end of the flowering cycle, but it is also the

Meeuws does create it, however, behind the computer.

beginning of a new one. Without those seeds, there will

And that, too, results in special combinations. ‘I like to

be no new flower.’

play with form, size, composition. Such a large peony, for example, I make it the gravitational centre. And next to it I place a crocus, which has been pulled completely out of proportion. Sometimes I also put pansies at the top of a bouquet. Of course, they are small, with a short stalk, but here they suddenly have a very long stalk.’ There are a lot of things incorrect in his paintings, even though not everyone is aware of this at first glance. ‘When I exhibit my works, I sometimes get the question: ‘Those bugs, what’s the deal with them? It’s not possible for all those butterflies to flutter correctly at exactly the right moment when the photo is taken.’ Meeuws can laugh about it and sees it as a compliment that they apparently see it as a real bouquet after all. But if you look closely: ‘A lot of things are unreal. A huge bouquet for example, in a small Chinese vase with a narrow neck. There’s a Digitalis in it, only that stem doesn’t fit in that vase, let alone the whole bouquet.’

#UNTITLED ‘My work has no titles. I’m not very fond of titles.

I sometimes see these very poetic ones in the work of fellow artists, and I think ‘well... I just don’t see it’. I also think you’re pushing the viewer in a certain direction.

I want you to make your own story out of it.’ However, his works have a common denominator: ‘I think sustainability is very important, that people look at nature with more respect. So, I put in everything, including vegetables, weeds... Plants that people just pass by. But if you give them a platform, people can suddenly see the beauty of it. It’s all just very important.

When there are no more bees, there are no more berries, strawberries, apples... We have to be a bit more careful with the earth. With the beauty of our universe.’

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PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK A work by Bas Meeuws is never boring, you discover

honours a more recent painter. ‘In Taiwan I came across

something new every time. Meeuws acknowledges:

the work of the Chinese painter Sanyu. Sanyu lived from

‘There is intentionally a lot hidden in my works, so it will

1900 to 1966 and spent half his life in Paris. He worked

not get bored. That it’s timeless. But so are the works

with Matisse, and that’s reflected in his work. He paints

from the 17th century: timeless. Already 400 years old

very abstractly. You can see it’s a flower shape, but

and still sparkling.’ Our gaze wanders to the painting

what flower it is? I don’t know. The stems are almost

behind Meeuws; we see spiders, butterflies, a climbing

transparent, because he puts them down with one

snail and hey: a caterpillar on its way to a juicy bite.

brushstroke and at the bottom the paint on his brush is

In other works, a dragonfly, a finch or even a monkey.

almost gone. I wanted to convey the same feeling but

Meeuws has made several series, with influences from all

doing that with hyper-realistic photography is not easy.

over the world. From beautiful vistas to distant worlds

I think I spent two months working on them before I was

in ‘Windows’ to thousand- and one-nights fairy tales in

satisfied. It now really looks like a painting, but without

the series ‘India Mughal’. In ‘Hommage a Sanyu’, Meeuws

being a copy of his work. It remains a Bas Meeuws.’

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DIGITAL PAINTING Every now and then, Meeuws compares himself to a painter. ‘I make a composition first, choosing flowers out of my image database of more than 13,000 images.

I always photograph the flowers from different angles, in artificial light, in different stages of flowering. In front of a black background. I often photograph the vases on the spot, for example in museums. Then I’m putting them together. When I’m satisfied with the bouquet, I go brushing, sometimes for hours. That works very meditative. When the black lines around the flowers are gone, you can see the whole thing fuse together. Then I add the lighting and shadows behind the flowers. I don’t work with masks in Photoshop. That in itself would be useful, because you can always go back to a previous version, but I prefer not to do it. As soon as I start with the lighting it’s a painting for me. Once the paint’s on, it can’t come off. It does have something traditional.’

However, it is not always as practical as Meeuws has to work for a client, because they sometimes want it to be just that little bit different: ‘Sometimes they ask to make a flower smaller, while I have already provided shade behind that flower. But then again, I find it a challenge to solve that.’ Soon he hopes to find some time for free work again, between the exhibitions and assignments: ‘The book has taken a lot of time this year, I have underestimated that a bit. But now that that’s finished, I hope to be able to make some time for an idea that I’ve been walking around with for some time; a series of fallen trees. And especially the clod, which contains all kinds of soil life. And flowers around it. I’d like that.’

Inspired? You can read more about the work of Bas Meeuws in his book ‘Flower Pieces’.

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SPECIALS

SPECIALS

JATROPHA

FIRE

CRACKER

Ever wonder what flower you could give a mermaid? We vote for the Jatropha.

This ‘weird’ cut flower looks just like coral!

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TOP 10

FLORAL TRENDS 2020 ALL IS POSSIBLE IN 2020. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! FLOWERS ARE A STATEMENT, BEYOND ANY TREND. THE RED OR WHITE ROSE IS NEVER OUT OF FASHION. HOWEVER, YOU CAN COMPARE FLOWERS WITH MUSIC: OLD HITS CONTINUE TO SELL AND NEW ‘TUNES’ STIMULATE SALES. MORE THAN EVER, ALL SENSES PLAY A ROLE: TASTE, FEEL AND SOUND. THERE IS AN INCREASE IN SCENT CONCEPTS. NOTHING BEATS NATURAL AROMAS! MOVEMENT, PREFERABLY WITH SOUND OR LIGHT EFFECTS, IS A MUST FOR DYNAMIC PRESENTATION IN 2020. SMELLING AND TASTING STIMULATE SALES. WE’LL SEE MORE EXTREMES IN DESIGN MATERIAL AND SHAPE. NEXT YEAR EVERYONE CAN BECOME A COMPOSER OF HIS OWN STYLE, WITH THE SOUNDS BELOW HAVING A MAJOR COMMERCIAL INFLUENCE.

1

YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET

BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE Fake it or shake it. We already have the ordinary and the real. Consumers want to be surprised.

Today, everyone is an artist and it is up to retailers to stimulate that creativity. What is natural? That border has long since blurred. We massively dye our hair, add prints or colours to our skin and cosmetic procedures are more popular than ever. This year fake goes very well with natural. Real fake!

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2

PURPLE RAIN

PRINCE

Deep purple is back, the ‘tune’ of the seventies.

The time when love & peace was linked to hope.

A spiritual time where freedom played a major role.

Think of patchouli and amber scents or purple and especially lilac. Extreme free forms with flowers ranging from very large to very small. Wild flowers star in

www.katherineashdown.co.uk

colourful bouquets or in flower wreaths for your hair.

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I WILL SURVIVE GLORIA GAYNOR

‘It’s drying time again?’ They are ordered in large numbers already now. The dried flowers and grasses are back.

This is getting bigger! A déjà vu for the older generation,

Célestine Morel

but there are generations for whom this is totally new.

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4

KILLING ME SOFTLY FUGEES, FRANK SINATRA, ZHAVIA

Dream, dream, dream... Dream away with big clouds of Baby’s Breath. Gyp is back. The design sector embraces everything that is soft and diffuse. Especially in white and pastel but even in very bright colours. As long as it looks cuddly. Make your own fluffy, soft and hairy

Célestine Morel

choices!

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DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY BOB MARLEY, BOBBY MCFERRIN

Life is a party, and festive decoration is all around you.

Embrace the brightest colours, add some humour and keep it simple. Create powerful forms with bold stripes and round shapes. Light up your party and boost it with

Linda Retel

flowers!

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6 ALL TOGETHER NOW THE BEATLES Cacti and succulents in bouquets? Extremes combine perfectly. Put all special reds from over the world together and you’ll have a harmonious mix. You can also mix different colours or choose a ton-sur-ton mix.

Choose your extremes and combine them all together!

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PROUD MARY CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

Money always finds new forms. In these fast-changing times, a flight into decadence is very logical. Golden and new metallics, mirrors, and crystal effects can highlight the most special flower species or branches. This trend is

Linda Retel

golden and new metallics!

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8

CIRCLE OF LIFE LION KING

Jungle trends with flamingo and pineapple have reached their peak and are followed by a more rugged, tribal or ‘native’ story. The browns, especially dark and reddish-brown play the leading role in this earthly, primordial theme. Tough flowers, seed pods and branches combine perfectly with lush flowers or fine grasses, preferably in white, yellow or orange contrast.

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FIX YOU COLDPLAY

Ikebana, the most noble form of flower arranging, becomes childishly simple and accessible to everyone.

The individual beauty of the flower or branch pops out when the vases or holders are the highlight of the arrangement. Of course, one vase is not enough since the choice of flowers, grasses and twigs is endless.

Kop-op.nl

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10

THE SOUND OF SILENCE SIMON & GARFUNKEL

White, white and even more white. If there is something that the spirit of the times demands, it is tranquillity.

The turnover in yoga and other relaxation aids are rising explosively, many are looking for a better balance. Serene

FleuraMetz

and peaceful arrangements are back in 2020. Namaste!

ABOUT SANDRA KÖNINGS Sandra is a ‘trend translator’ with a background in retail and fashion (i.e. Design Director at WE fashion).

She founded Trendlogic in 2006, purely because she was looking for more diversity after 20 years of fashion.

‘Connecting creativity, emotional truth and rational facts is the essence of my work.’

Making the world more beautiful is what drives her.

With fashion and with flowers, decoration and food.

Her father being an international chef, (she lived in Australia and Saudi Arabia) certainly influenced the love for beauty and good food. Sandra is a positive, creative rebel, with a unique profession. She developed a unique methodology to objectify subjective matters like taste or affection. She goes beyond brand thinking with her customers and uses her trendlogic language that offers insight into translating consumer taste preference for products and design.

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Wedding walking stick Design Gábor Nagy 94

Model Alex Gerencséri Photo Péter Simon

Gábor Nagy MEET GÁBOR NAGY Meet rising star, Gábor Nagy, a Hungarian floral designer

Gábor demonstrates and gives workshops workshops

who lives in Hungary. His passion for the floristry started

in Hungary and abroad. He is also a proud ambassador

in his childhood when his parents opened their flower

for Floral Fundamentals.

shop. Gábor was totally enchanted by the flowers and what we can create from them. He started his further education in fine arts but eventually the passion for floristry and flowers won.

Gábor says, ‘I do not look at the flowers as raw materials but as an organic part or element of the composition.

The base and the flower are not separate things: they form a unity. The inspiration can come from everywhere.

I think that the biggest inspiration is available in nature.

It is around us, it is present everywhere and it can give numerous ideas. The multiplicity and variation of form and colours is always individual and particular.’

Gábor Nagy won several Hungarian floral and art competitions.

In 2017 he achieved first place at the Hungarian Championship and the same year he took first place at the Eurofleurs competition in Belgium. Next to these competitions he achieved second place in the 2018 Fusion Flowers International Designer of the Year Competition as well.

Wedding jewelry Design Gábor Nagy Model Vivien Varga Photo Péter Simon

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Wedding shoulderpiece with cactus spikes Design Gábor Nagy Model Alex Gerencséri Photo Péter Simon 96

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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A FAMILY The story of Floral Fundamentals

I

n times when florists and designers have to

It started with people who realized that the established

compete with the ‘cheaper’ supermarket bouquet,

method of flower promotion was insufficient. It missed

collaboration in the chain is indispensable. The inspiration

the real target group by putting too much emphasis

and passion that can be shared between growers and

on lifestyle and forgetting that it is the florist who

floral designers ensures exclusivity, creativity and

ultimately sells the product to the consumer.

promotion of a wide range. Growing varieties for volume

The case gained momentum when exporters Marius

sales for bouquets sold at supermarkets and gas stations

Dekker and Piet van Kampen, together with grower

can be a threat to a varied and inspiring assortment.

Steef van Adrichem, met Alison Bradley, who is both

It is important that florists can continue to stand out

a flower designer and a ‘flower journalist’.

and add value with their passion and their creations.

The promotion of special varieties and their role in beautiful creations is key here. In addition, the input of wholesalers, exporters, breeders and florists is essential for bringing the total assortment to the consumer.

PASSION NURTURES GROWTH AND INNOVATIVE FLORISTRY Following intensive discussions, a group of like-minded professionals from different aspects of the sector agreed that the floral industry needed help to communicate and to break down barriers. The advent of supermarket pricing policy has caused major issues not only for florists but for growers too. What was needed was a radical approach and a platform where growers and suppliers could have direct communication with florists and where florists could ask direct questions and learn more.

Floral Fundamentals was born. One of the initiators and founders of this platform that connects growers with florist is Alison Bradley.

‘Simply put, Floral Fundamentals brings together florists, wholesalers and growers to share their passion for flowers. By doing this, people see what the other person contributes to the chain. It is about creating mutual understanding and mutual trust.’

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‘Simply put, Floral Fundamentals brings together florists, wholesalers and growers to share their passion for flowers. By doing this, people see what the other person contributes to the chain. It is about creating mutual understanding and mutual trust.’

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FLORISTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Each florist makes at least three hand-bound bouquets

‘We wanted to do with a small budget what others with

with around 150 arrangements being completed during

more promotion money could not get done. Put the

the weekend. The challenge is to get them in different

florist in the spotlight.That is how Floral Fundamentals

prices ranges. All these arrangements and bouquets are

originated. In Floral Fundamentals growers learn to view

professionally photographed and described. The results

the industry from the perspective of a florist and florists

are published in a Floral Fundamentals e-magazine,

learn the industry seen from the perspective of a grower.’

which anyone can view on www.floralfundamentals.com.’

INSPIRING WEEKENDS FOR TOP FLORISTS

AN INTERNATIONAL FLORAL FAMILY

‘We wanted to organize Floral Fundamentals

Maybe the essence of Floral Fundamentals is the family

weekends in which top florists from around the world

aspect. Being connected to Floral Fundamentals means

would come together, visit the nurseries of top growers

being part of a group of top florists and top growers who

and have two full days to create the most beautiful flower

share knowledge and information. For a whole weekend

arrangements. This is relatively cheap and easily

they work alongside each other, seeing each other’s work

organized. When we announced our plans, we found a

and being influenced by it. They learn to use other flowers

group of growers and suppliers enthousiastic to finance

that are not often available at home that they can order.

these weekends. We found a location at the Aalsmeer

They are inspired by each other’s styles and they inspire

Boerma Institute in the Netherlands, where these top

colleagues worldwide by the beauty of flowers and

florists like to come and network.’

floristry. As an international floral family.

‘Floral Fundamentals weekends have a simple goal.

‘Three times a year we have a group of top florists create commercial floral art to inspire their colleagues worldwide. Due to the international character of the weekends we see flower styles from all over the world. The pieces must be commercial so that florists can get inspiration from them.’

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Photo Piet van Kampen

After following a growers’ tour, they work with flowers.

The Scabiosa, a forgotten flower

SCABIOSA COTTON CANDY SCOOP® 101

GRANDMOTHERS AND GRANDFATHERS WITH A GREEN THUMB MIGHT REMEMBER IT: THE SCABIOSA. A SPECIAL FLOWER, WHICH UNTIL RECENTLY, HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN. THE SCABIOSA, ALSO KNOWN AS ‘PINCUSHION FLOWER’, WAS GROWN FROM SEED, HAD MEDIUM SIZE FLOWERS WITH A DELICATE STEM AND GREW MOSTLY IN BLUE TONES.

OUR BREEDER, DANZIGER, HAS BROUGHT THIS FORGOTTEN FLOWER BACK TO LIFE. THEY SAW AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR FLOWERS WITH RICH TEXTURES, MULTIPLE LAYERS OF FLOWERS AND INTENSIVE COLOURS. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WITH THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNIQUES, THE SCABIOSA GOT A WONDERFUL COMEBACK: THE SCABIOSA SCOOP®. THE SCABIOSA SCOOP® SERIES HAS STRONG STEMS, A HIGH PRODUCTIVITY AND MORE THAN EIGHT COLOURS, INCLUDING TWO-TONE VARIETIES. THE FLOWER IS VERY VERSATILE AND CAN BE USED OPEN, CLOSED, AND EVEN AFTER THE PETALS HAVE FALLEN OUT. AS A RESULT, THE SCOOP® IS NOW EMBRACED BY FLORISTS WORLDWIDE.

A perfect growing climate The Scabiosa Scoop® grows on the Marginpar Livewire at 2150 m altitude on the edge of Rift Valley in Kenya. This location has the perfect climate for the Scabiosa.

The days here are long and dry, with lots of light, so the flowers can grow at their own pace. This allows them to develop their signature large flower heads and long sturdy stems.

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The scoop on Scabiosa Innovation is, and still remains, very important to us and our breeder.

That is why we proudly introduce a new variant: the Scabiosa Focal Scoop™. The Focal Scoop variety has an even thicker stem, and an average flower diameter of 3.5 inches.

While her sister, the ‘regular’ Scoop had an average diameter of 1.5 inches.

The Focal Scoop is therefore even more suitable to be used as a mono flower, or as a semi-focus in a bouquet or arrangement.

Photo Fleurametz

Scabiosa Focal Scoop™ Hot Pink

Scabiosa Blackberry Scoop®

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Design Lea Romanowski Photo Brittany Maertens-Poole Model Breann Benoit

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Lea:designing on the edge

Lea Romanowski just loves all art forms.

Incorporating the arts of painting, sculpting and crafting into her floral designs ever since she started in this business, she established her own floral designer company in 2000. There, she focuses on unique, thought-provoking events, themes and wedding designs. As an artist and designer, she has been a creative force within the floral industry for over thirty years, continuously transforming ordinary things into striking designs. Lea has made an art form out of pushing the boundaries of design.

Born and raised in a family that included several horticulturalists, Lea grew up loving flowers. Still, she entered the floral industry completely by accident.

‘My boyfriend’s family owned a floral shop. They needed an extra pair of hands, and I needed a summer job.

The rest is history.’

‘I love working with flowers so much. They are pure perfection, nature’s most beautiful fragrant contemporary art. Flowers can convey a message to another person when we can’t find the right words.

I love that.’

MACGYVER For the past twelve years, Lea has been working as an instructor for the Floral Design Program at The Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. A pioneer of floral design, Lea instills in her students a deep knowledge and awareness of the importance of executing an idea flawlessly.

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Since she considers thinking out-of-the-box to be restrictive, Lea prefers to build her own boxes.

Her extensive skill set (carpentry, painting, working with metals and electricity) and bold sense of design have earned Lea the moniker ‘MacGyver’. ‘I consider myself a ‘fixer’ of all things visual, guided by the principle that no task is impossible’. Solutions should be built…literally!’

HAVING FUN Even though Lea has many styles of design, she suspects she has become known within the industry primarily for doing the unexpected. ‘I enjoy non-traditional designs, incorporating recycled, repurposed and unique materials into my work. I have always wanted to make a difference, hoping to inspire other artists. You can find inspiration wherever you look. Just try to think of a word or an object, and let your creativity run free. Most of my own ideas come to me very quickly and continue to evolve during the execution process. And I never take myself too seriously: if you are not having fun, you’re doing it wrong!’

WEAR THAT CROWN! The technical aspects of designing a flower crown can be

BARBIE CHALLENGE

challenging and tricky. Lea starts with a structural base

Creating the ‘Barbie and friends’ miniature series formed

for every headpiece or crown. For this base, she needs

a particular challenge for Lea. After designing the full-

three particular measurements. The first concerns the

size Gypsophila wig, she wondered if the same technique

head circumference. The second one is measured from

could be used for a miniature version as well. She ended

ear to ear over the top of the head, and third from back

up making a dozen of them, recreating the original one

to front over the head. Combined, these three will ensure

with fresh materials in miniature form.

a good fit.

‘Bizarrely enough, I took me twice the usual time

‘I design the base with many layers, this helps give depth

to make the miniature version. Each head piece

and the ability to weave materials in easily. My choice of

structure took 1-2 hours to create. Choosing fresh,

flowers will depend on where and for how long the crown

size-appropriate botanicals required quite an amount

will be worn. Location (indoors or outside), the season

of consideration. And then, there was the glue! Ooh my

and budget are all important factors. I usually start with

gosh, the glue strands were the most challenging part!

foliage at the base to create volume. Then, I add each

Believe me when I say that tweezers, reading glasses

separate variety of flower until the crown is full. I love

and a magnifying glass are must-have tools when

filler flowers the most!’

making designs in miniature. So yes, it definitely was

‘During the designing process, I frequently try the piece

a challenge.’

on myself. Balance is critical, so I wear it and walk around

‘My favourite headpieces will always be the miniature

to check the crown’s stability. I always use a finishing

Gyp and full size wigs. Both were very inspiring firsts.

spray and let it harden off. Then I put the piece in a

Also: Gyp is back!’

cooler for twelve to twenty-four hours to achieve optimal longevity.’

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BEAUTIFUL AND ORIGINAL ‘At this moment, I see two particular trends when it comes to floral design. The first is Bespoke Floral Wear.

I love these one-of-a-kind floral adornments, because they are both beautiful and original. The crowns I make myself are actually part of this trend. I’m less keen on the second trend, to be honest. These days, people who enter the industry invest less and less time in proper training. This leads to more unstructured designs, to designs without consideration of principles and elements of design and finally it may become detrimental to the profession.’

FLORAL WARRIORS ‘Our profession is a noble one, for we are Floral Warriors.

We speak for others with our art. When there are no words, our flowers speak volumes.’

‘Let me finish with some words of advice for people who are entering the industry. First: be patient. That’s a hard one. Second: listen and learn from your experienced colleagues. They have a wealth of knowledge to share.

Third: if you don’t know, dare to ask questions. After all, clarity leads to success. Fourth: volunteer whenever possible, come early and leave late. I myself learned the most from following this particular principle.

Fifth: attend industry classes and shows, because there is always something new to learn. And last but not least: support your industry, and it will support you!’

‘Our profession is a noble one, for we are Floral Warriors.

We speak for others with our art. When there are no words, our flowers speak volumes.’

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THE ART OF BREEDING THE CREATION OF THE CLEMATIS AMAZING ® SERIES Imagine that 99.9% of your work leads to nothing.

Would you continue with it?

But what if the 0.01% that remains is so unique that you do not want to stop?

This is the story of one of our breeders > 108

WE GO BACK A CENTURY IN TIME. SOMEWHERE A CLEMATIS IS USED AS A CUT FLOWER. WW II STARTS, AND THE CUT FLOWER DISAPPEARS. WIM SNOEIJER, BREEDER BY PROFESSION, GOES LOOKING FOR THIS ‘CUT’ CLEMATIS IN THE 90’S AND ENDS UP IN JAPAN. HE SEES OPPORTUNITIES TO REFINE THE CLEMATIS FROM GARDEN PLANT TO CUT FLOWER. A DEEP DIVE Jan van Zoest, owner of Clematis nursery J. van Zoest

The seeds are sown, grown, weaned. After two or

B.V., wants to continue developing this flower. But this

three years it is visible whether the plant has the

cut flower is not easily placed in a vase. The process

right characteristics and the first selection follows.

from breeding to introduction can thus take a decade.

Only the best are selected. The X factor of the flora.

Jan is looking for a partner, someone who is just as

The selection is increased by cuttings.

fond of innovative species as he is. After having heard ‘not interested’ several times, he arrives at Marginpar.

And he immediately receives a resounding yes.

The adventure begins...

‘Breeding a Clematis does not work like Mendel’s laws,’ Wim admits, laughing. Wim takes care of fertilisation of the clematis with pollen stamen and pistils.

With a clear goal: a specific characteristic, better, stronger, and above all something that is not yet available in the market. The ‘parents’ are carefully selected. And after fertilising the waiting starts.

Jan van Zoest

‘Marginpar has stuck his neck out. This is not a ready-made product.

None of us knew whether this would work.’

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OFF TO AFRICA

THE CLEMATIS AMAZING® SERIES

After two years of cuttings, a part can go to the

In 2006, Clematis Amazing® Blue Pirouette was the

Marginpar farm in Tanzania. It is tested whether they

first clematis cut flower to be traded at Flora Holland.

also grow well there, whether they are resistant to

Clematis Amazing® Inspiration followed in 2011 and

fungi, how easily they multiply, the vase life, and so on.

Clematis Amazing® Star River was added in 2012.

His son Jos van Zoest travels there regularly to

We received the prestigious Glass Tulip Award from

investigate and guide the new species; and pull out

Flora Holland in 2014 for the latter. In the spring of

the plug when necessary. Even if there is already a field

2015, Clematis Amazing® London was introduced at

full of them, because: ‘We only go for the best. It just

the Country Living Fair in London and in the course

has to be really good.’ If a winner has emerged,

of the same year also Clematis Amazing® Geneva and

multiplication starts, so with the introduction of

Clematis Amazing® Oslo. Clematis Amazing® Toronto

the Clematis there is sufficient supply to meet the

was added to the range in early 2016.

demand all year round. In 2006 it happened.

Clematis Amazing® Tokyo and Clematis Amazing® Kibo

The Clematis Amazing® Blue Pirouette is the first

followed in 2018, in 2019 Clematis Amazing® Shira

Clematis cut flower to be introduced and embraced.

joined the party. In 2020 we are expecting a new cultivar.

It then takes five years for a successor to come, but after that it goes fast. New cultivars are added to the assortment almost every year.

Clematis Amazing® Rome Clematis Amazing® Kibo

Clematis Amazing® Oslo

Clematis Amazing® London

Clematis Amazing® Toronto Clematis Amazing® Shira 110

Clematis Amazing® Star River Clematis Amazing® Blue Pirouette

Clematis Amazing® Geneva

Clematis Amazing® Miami Clematis Amazing® Inspiration

Clematis Amazing® Tokyo

FACTS ON CLEMATIS AMAZING

The average lifespan is around 10-14 days.

Clematis cut flower has the special property

In a warm or dark environment, the lifespan will

that the flowers and buds stand up again when

be shorter, if the environment is light and cool,

they are used diagonally or horizontally.

the stems will flower nicely for at least 3 weeks.

Most cut flowers cannot do this.

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ORIGINALS

CLEMATIS

AMAZING®

TORONTO

Some varieties of the Clematis Amazing series are more exclusive then others.

Cultivation of both the Clematis Amazing® Toronto and the Clematis Amazing® Tokyo is not easy and very labour-intensive. That is why these varieties are only limited available, and in small quantities.

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Design Gábor Nagy Photo Bálint Rádi Model Zsófia Végsőné Kiss B.