US floral designer and wholesaler’s representative Diana Westcott won a trip to Holland as part of a contest promoting the Flower Council’s USA newsletter. Although ‘Lady Luck’ certainly played its part, Diana – whose floral career began as an apprentice in a small flower shop in Maine in 1974 – was a deserved winner: “Dutch flowers have always been very near and dear to my heart.” Superior During her whirlwind tour of the Dutch flower industry, Diana visited Dutch grower ‘Ko Kolk Hortensia BV’: “Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers, so entering their greenhouse and seeing this huge ocean of hydrangeas was absolutely thrilling! The flowers were four feet tall, with huge heads the size of basketballs, and of far superior quality to the hydrangeas grown in South America and California.
“Passion At Ko Kolk Hortensia, Diana was shown around by this family-run company’s director, Bart Kolk, who impressed her with his “absolute passion” for his profession. “Bart was incredibly knowledgeable about the flowers, and as we walked around the greenhouse he’d stop and tenderly touch each flower, as if it was a child,” Diana recalls. “Of course there were probably practical reasons for doing this, yet his gesture seemed to have an emotional quality as well.”
Distinguished Seeing is believing, and following her Holland tour Diana returned to the US to spread the word about the great flowers she’d seen. “The hydrangeas would definitely give that essential ‘Wow factor’ to any floral designer’s arrangements!” Diana exclaims. “Dutch flowers really make your designs look distinguished and sets your work head and shoulders above the crowd.”
Amazed As the Dutch flower industry continues to target the US event-planning sector, Diana’s tip for Dutch growers is to stay focused on “quality”. Diana: “Growers should also continue to expand their selections, because there’s no satisfying the buyer’s appetite for variety and the American appetite for wanting to be amazed by something new!”
Proud Back home in Maryland, Diana hopes to combine her close associations with Dutch flowers and the US market: “I’ve always had such a positive relationship with Dutch flowers and growers, so I’d love to help market Dutch flowers in the US. It would be really wonderful to help promote flowers you can be so proud of!”
Source:www.flowercouncil.org
