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Saying it with flowers

What is it about a bunch of sweet scented blooms that turns an ordinary day into something a bit more special? There’s something about being given flowers by someone that makes you feel that you’re wanted, appreciated, and yes, loved.

Selling flowers is truly an art. Florists select the flowers carefully, arrange them with care, cut the stems and decorate it with ribbons or coloured paper. Florists are known to make our world beautiful by creating artistic designs using natural flowers and plants.

The flower shops of Karama have a fragrant charm to them. Holland Flowers has been in Karama for 20 years. As you enter, the colourful display strikes you. Red, yellow, pink, white, orange and violet flowers beckon.

The shop gets customers from all over the city. Mani Vakayal, the manager said, “We sell roses, assorted lilies, orchids, tulips, carnations and many more varieties. We also sell money plants, lucky bamboo, flower accessories, vases, balloons and toys. The shop directly imports the flowers from local purchasers,” Mani added,

“The flowers mainly come from Holland, Singapore, Ecuador and Kenya. We get orchids from Thailand.”

He said that the business depends on occasions. “Our business is good during the Valentine’s season where 85 per cent of the people buy roses. Otherwise, people buy bouquets and arrangements for weddings, birthdays or anniversaries.”

The prices depend on customer’s order and can range from Dh60 to Dh500. A bouquet for Dh60 includes five roses, carnations and other accessories that are not a part of the charge such as ribbons, glitter spray and plastic wrap around. A basket of rose petals costs Dh50.

Holland Flowers also delivers flowers all over the world. It offers unique bouquets along with cakes and other accessories. Mani said, “A bouquet to India costs Dh200 and to the USA and UK Dh350”.

“Customers buy plants mostly for their offices,” said Mani. “We get a mix of customers. Europeans and the Emiratis come here regularly as they usually keep fresh flowers at home.”.

He added with a shy grin that he enjoys his job as it is very interesting and he meets different people and gets to know different views about different flowers and flower giving cultures.

A florist is not merely selling a flower. It is a business that sells artistic arrays of flowers. That’s where a florist exhibits his knowledge of floral arrangements and skills at creation. This is one career that ensures you are surrounded by beauty every day that you work.

Jenny Flowers International has been in Dubai for 20 years and has branches in Abu Dhabi, Mussafah and Saudi Arabia. Pradeep Kumar, the sales manager said, “We are busy throughout the year but extra busy during Valentine’s. Flowers are purchased from the local market and come from Holland, Kenya and South Africa.

The shop is open from 5am to 1am so that we can cater to all flower needs worldwide. In one day, we usually get 30 to 40 domestic deliveries and around 20 international deliveries”.

He added that the business depends on a festival or a celebration. Pradeep said, “A bouquet starts from Dh150 and a basket cots Dh200. Our online booking is also very popular as we get customers from Russia, USA and the UK”.

Pradeep added, “This job is very pleasurable as we are able to deliver happiness to people”.

Robert Stelco, purchases flowers on a weekly basis to keep his home fragrant. He said, “There is hardly any person who is not charmed by the beauty and fragrance of fresh flowers. They are the simplest forms of gifts that you can give to people close to your heart. Though all the supermarkets sell flowers, I prefer going to a florist as they make the bouquet in front of me and there is guaranteed freshness. I usually gift flowers and also love receiving them.”

The flowers and plants found in most shops will communicate what sometimes words cannot. Florists have long provided a service of heart-felt communication. Though special occasions tend to be the busiest time of year for local florists, anytime is a good time to send flowers. Sending a bouquet of pink roses with a dozen chocolates could surely deliver smiles and please anyone.—news@khaleejtimes.com

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