Rooms of Flowers by Sharon Millar Local growers have fuelled the move towards more sophisticated arrangements by keeping up a supply of attractive flowers and foliage. Tony Tang Kai of the Horticultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago (HSTT) acknowledges the demand for anything new and interesting and says that many of the growers travel to botanical hubs such Miami or even as far away as Thailand to source new stock. Trinidad and Tobago’s long standing presence at international flower shows such as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London has also gone a long way in keeping growers and arrangers au courant with international trends. Foliage is a critical aspect of any arrangement. “It’s very important,” said Tang Kai, “you need the foliage to balance the blooms and to hide the mechanics of the arrangement.” Some of the most popular movers in the foliage line include the characteristically green and glossy sweet lime, all types of fern, different coloured cordylines and dracaenas, papyrus, calatheas, aurelias, and yellow iris. To accommodate major national events such as the CHOGM and the Fifth Summit of the Americas in 2009, growers were placed on alert months in advance to give them the opportunity to supply the demand. Popular among the foliage designers are the members of the Heliconiaceae family such as Heliconia chartacea ‘Sexy Pink’, Heliconia collinsiana ‘Sexy Orange’, and Heliconia rostrata; as well as all the coloured Musa bananas (of the Musacea family). Always popular because of the longevity of the cut flowers are the shampoo, torch, and alpinia gingers that belong to the Zingiberaceae family. Vibrant show stoppers carry the names to match. The names of many of the gingers and heliconias read like overblown hothouse novels– ‘Jungle King’, ‘Cinnamon Twist’, ‘Sassy’, and ‘Lalunni’ to name a few. Despite the increasing popularity of newer exotics, many people still remain loyal to the traditional ixoras and hibiscus bouquets of years gone by. Many smaller, more rural guest houses still maintain the tradition of small, hand assembled bouquets for each room. And in this way, they are branding themselves as eloquently as the larger establishments. The current symbiosis of accommodation and horticulture has evolved organically, the result of a healthy industry of growers and a burgeoning crop of new hotels and restaurant chains. With a renewed focus on increasing Trinidad and Tobago’s room stock, horticulturalists can look forward to keeping these rooms full of flowers for years to come.
Patricia Lewis
In Trinidad and Tobago, hotels, guest houses, and restaurants are increasing their use of flowers and signature arrangements as a unique way of displaying their corporate image. And local exotic growers have risen to the demand by supplying sophisticated designs and products on a regular basis. Dave Ramlal of Functional Designs is the man behind sleek flower designs found at two of T&T’s newest hotels. His mandate is to present pieces that complement the decor and reflect the personality of the hotel. Ramlal’s style is minimalistic and modern. To create this look, he relies on both home-grown exotics such as the gingers, heliconias, anthuriums, and orchids, often combining the look of the tropics with a subtle addition of a temperate import to soften the ‘vavavoom’ effects of the showy tropicals. Ramlal uses less flowers and foliage than traditional flower arrangers but goes instead for strong, eye-catching statement pieces. The response by visiting businessmen and tourists alike has been positive, sparking a small but growing niche market. “We have begun supplying business people who visit Trinidad and Tobago frequently. They use the arrangements in social interactions, sending arrangements to local counterparts or using them as hostess gifts when they are invited to homes.” Zalayhar Sant of Romance Garden in Long Circular Mall, Maraval, is kept busy with a mixed bag of requests many of which come from large corporate citizens such as banks and other financial institutions. Traditionally, these clients prefer the larger, denser, arrangements designed to fill a whole room. With these arrangements, Sant often mixes local flowers with imported stock to provide interest. “I love sunflowers,” she said. Sunflowers are spectacular and orange ones pair beautifully with locally grown orange and red heliconias. Bernard Beckles of La Tropicale Flower Shop has been in the industry for close to twenty five years. A stalwart on the flower arranging circuit, Beckles has seen a definite change in the style of arrangements over the years. “People are moving away from clutter, they like a more streamlined look now,” said Beckles. During our interview, Beckles is preparing for no less than six weddings for the upcoming weekend. “Beach weddings are very popular,” he said. “Many young people are moving to outdoor locations to exchange vows and the flowers of choice are the tropicals.” This dovetails with the Tobago’s growing popularity as a wedding destination and the event planners work closely with the florists to ensure a perfect day for the bridal party.
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