Packaging with a personal touch
“A product can be given a personal touch by paying extra attention to its packaging. You could add an amusing detail to the standard packaging paper or opt for a real eye catcher,” says arranger Christa Snoek.


“Customers really appreciate attractive plant packaging, particularly when they are on the lookout for a special gift. The packaging completes the picture and says “I care”. The recipient can see immediately that the product was bought from a specialist florist. A simple decoration, for example, a skeleton leaf, can sometimes be enough. Or you could opt for a more exclusive concept:instead of  paper and foil you could also use silk, net and textile packaging materials. True, they are a little more expensive but this can be added to the selling price. Using two different packaging materials also looks good. A combination of transparent foil and a coloured line will always hit the spot. It is important to ensure that the packaging is strong as well as attractive. After all its purpose is to protect the flowers.”

Tips: seek excitement
When choosing packaging always look out for contrasts that will stimulate the senses. Use contrast in colour and in texture. For example, curl some coloured florist’s wire through the crown of a Capsicum and cover the edge of the pot with purple artificial fur. Or glue a garland of fragile skeleton leaves around the rim of a pot containing a fleshy succulent. In this case the packaging is too attractive to remove.

Simple Creative with leftovers. A simple purple ribbon adds a cheery note to this Cycas revoluta (9200)	Veiled Oncidium (8248) is spiced up by being partly packaged in lilac and orange net.

Red indeed Dendrobium nobile (11046) with a hard, transparent foil in a red plastic pot.	Colourplay This Capsicum annuum (9169) makes a cheerful statement in an otherwise grey season.

Falling leaves Autumn comes indoors with this dressed up Senecio barbertonicus ‘Kinabulu’ (20679). The colours of the skeleton leaves are repeated in the pattern on the white glass vase.