Having recently returned from a trip to Holland, I'm filled with questions. For instance, why do Dutch flower shops offer a greater variety of choices than those in the U.S.? Why do Dutch consumers buy flowers for themselves for daily 'use', but Americans usually only for events, like weddings? Why are flowers much cheaper in Holland? Are American florists' profit margins too large? Is a 'different culture' really the reason why the Dutch buy more flowers than Americans? Or are Dutch florists simply better at marketing? Difficult questions, but I did find some answers in my day-to-day experiences with flowers in Holland.
In Holland, it's customary to bring a bouquet of flowers when visiting friends and family. A famously taciturn people, we Dutch really do 'say it with flowers', expressing our affection for each other with gifts of beautiful fresh flowers. This giving and receiving, arranging and displaying of flowers in the home and office is part of the daily rhythm of Dutch life. In Holland and Europe generally, we give flowers for special occasions, but also for no particular reason at all, and that's a trend we must encourage in the U.S.
I visited my mother while in Holland. I brought her roses and lisianthus. Rather than mixing the flowers, I grouped them separately in the vase. Quite a modern-style arrangement, but my mother liked it. During the daily visits that followed we'd always talk about the flowers, marveling for instance at how each separate flower variety had developed its own powerful presence. More than just a gift, the flowers were like another 'life' in her home, bringing us closer together.
One day I stopped to buy flowers for a dinner party I'd been invited to. Giving the hostess flowers is another Dutch custom! The other customers in the flower shop were a mother and her five-year-old daughter. The little girl was enthralled by the flowers' "pretty colors" and thrilled when her mother said she could pick out her favorite flower to purchase. The girl joyfully considered all the different flowers and finally decided that sunflowers were her "favorite"! Like that little Dutch girl, my love of flowers also began with thrilling childhood visits to flower shops with my mother!
Flowers add real value and beauty to daily Dutch life, and while there's still much work to be done before American consumers start buying flowers every day like the Dutch, raising the profile of flowers in the States is a must. In Holland, flowers are visible everywhere and are out looking for buyers. In the U.S., you don't see flowers unless you go looking for them. This is something we all must work together to change.
Questions or Comments
Please send your questions or comments for Els to: info.us@flowercouncil.org
