FLOWER IN FOCUS p a


rop


r r i


Did you know? Roses from South America need extra time in water to rehydrate them after their long fl ight. Take the sleeve off but DON’T remove the outer or inner cardboard that surrounds the heads which has been specially designed to provide the right support. Once they have drunk for around 4/5 hours and preferably overnight, you can then remove the cardboard.


Recycling leftovers Roses can be expensive so make sure they are well conditioned and buy the best you can aff ord as it will save money in the long run. If you still have some left over try these ideas. Dry unsold roses and create


On head… on trend Hot for 2013 are big stylish fl oral crowns. This gorgeous design was made by Rebecca Marsala from Gingerlily in Leighton Buzzard and is bang on trend for the wedding season.


Scent of success Smell sells. It’s a fact. Customers react to fragrances and aromas… think coff ee, baked bread and perfume. That’s why it’s hugely important to have some scented fl owers in the shop… so it smells like the customer thinks it should smell. Because they don’t understand that the stronger the scent, the shorter the vase life and that in a bid to appease their demands for life expectancy most breeders have pushed scent out of the picture. When it comes to scented roses,


Show the difference Most consumers haven’t the foggiest about roses and to them a rose is a rose is a rose. So why not do your bit in educating them. Buy three grades of roses and have a vase of each on display


12 F&wb Spring 2013


permanent designs. Alternatively you can spray them with metallic spray and use them at Christmas for interesting Grinling Gibbons style wreaths… a trick you can use on unsold foliage as well. Use rose petals as an added


Photograph by Kate Hopewell-Smith


growers like Alexandra Farms in Colombia (actually less expensive than some suppliers) and David Austin who grows out of Kenya and the UK, are clear winners. But while the roses may be grown overseas they look oh-so-English with their gorgeous garden style heads and wonderful fragrance which means they are totally in touch with the whole natural, country garden look. On the standard rose side extra scented varieties include the lilac Sterling Star, blue-pink Jacaranda, and the deep red Extase.


in the shop… or better still the window and label them good, better, best. If you want to be a bit cheekier


then buy some shorts from a supermarket and have them on display next to your better


incentive by making them into courtesy gifts for brides. Fill either cones or small baskets with petals for scattering down the aisle. She will love the generosity, making it more likely that she will pass on your name to her friends or keep coming back after the wedding. If you get broken rose heads


why not make them into a quick buttonhole/corsage and collar someone randomly in the street, or give them to customers as a thank you for shopping with you. They’ll love the gesture and you’ll have gained value out of the bloom rather than chucking it away.


grades… we’ll let you decide how you would label it! It will cost you some money


to showcase the diff erence but could change people’s perception and help explain the price diff erentials.


R


e i o


t o s


t


in f e


o


p o u


o


s


t


u p …


s


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100