How would you rate the rose in your assortment?
Roses account for around 60% of my sales. Because they are so important, we always aim to have the latest trend colours represented in our shop in Mainz (Germany). Yellow, orange and lilac are very popular and deep red remains a firm favourite. The shades of pink are slightly less popular here.

Which emotion does the rose represent for you?
Roses bring back memories. Some scents and colours take me straight back to my youth, to a former school friend or girlfriend. Traditional colours like cream and deep red soon have you musing about love.

Is this the reaction you observe in your customers?
Absolutely, you should never underestimate the emotional impact of a rose. When you give someone a rose, you are offering love and appreciation. Every rose variety tells a story. The colour has meaning, the fragrance has a value and each variety has an individual character. We have delved into the material and will be happy to share our knowledge with you.  

Do you have a favourite combination with roses?
The possibilities are endless, Gerberas, Chrysanthemums, lilies of the valley. However, our customers focus first and foremost on the roses, which are the stars.

What improvements would you like to see?
In recent decades the Dutch rose assortment has seen major development. However, there is still progress to be made in the 30 to 50 cm stem lengths. I would also like to see more information about the colour, fragrance and origins of the variety on the packaging. This would help us round off our story for the consumer.

Wild Romance – Hand tied bouquet of large flowered Rosa Ilios! (16217), large flowered Rosa Akito (13520), Xerophyllum tenax Beargrass (6174), Panicum ‘Fountain’ (16725), Ammi majus (3967) and Ophiopogon jaburan T-grass (15789).	Carrousel – Bouquet, hand tied in circles using Cordyline fruticosa ‘Red Edge’ (9183), large flowered Rosa Marie-Claire! (18030), Origanum other (6255) and large flowered Rosa Aqua! (17075).

Two Faces+ (28767) – Bicoloured, large flowered, mid-pink rose with a haze of yellow.	Amalia (26024) – the petals are deep pink inside and dark red outside.

Avalanche Peach+ (29037) – Peach coloured rose with curling outer petals.	La Belle (26445) – A soft pink centre glows in a circle of pale green petals.

Tara (100254) –  the bright yellow colour contrasts starkly with the curling petals.	Grande Amore (28714) – A true lover’s rose in velvet red.

Fiesta+ (100420) – Yellow and pale pink flames flicker on the petals.

Tip: Provide a good example
Proper care is essential if roses are to flower fully in the home. A less experienced flower buyer might find a small demonstration useful. Show how the stem can best be slant cut with a sharp knife and which leaves should be removed from the stem. Remember to provide a sachet of cut flower food!