THERE ARE cut flower markets just waiting to be explored.
And while it might be cheaper to import tropical flowers from Holland, the deputy mayor of the Martinique town Ville Des Trois Ilets, Natalia Grat, has urged local flower growers and arrangers to get together and explore those markets.
Grat, who was speaking just before the Martinique entourage toured the annual Flower And Garden Show at Balls Plantation last weekend, bemoaned the lack of tropical flowers in the hotel at which she stayed and said this was one market that could be tapped.
“A lot of markets exist for honeymoon, cruise ships. They like orchids and tropical flowers but we don’t explore this market and we import from Holland, from Colombia, from Puerto Rico. Maybe they are less expensive, but it would be better if we work together,” he said.
Grat also noted that while the island had a perfect temperature, there appeared to be a lack of communication between those in the industry and Government.
“You have a lot of professionals who love their job but I think there is, and this is my opinion, I think they must talk more with the politicians.
“I think the Government is waiting for us and they are waiting on the Government.
“They just have to do one thing and talk to each other.
“I don’t know the history of Barbados, so I say so with a lot of precaution.”
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Of Governor’s Balls and Woodroses
THEY CARRY INTERESTING names like Governor’s Balls and Woodroses, but chances are very few people know what these flowers look like.
But, said president of the Barbados Horticultural Society (BHS), Orson Daisley, the two were big hits as part of the BHS’ gold award-winning The Sailor’s Valentine at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show in Britain.
Governor’s Balls were the brown prickly balls hat grew on long stalks on succulent-like plants that dot the countryside.
Daisley noted the use of the little known blooms showed the creativity of flower arrangers.
“That is something that is wild. And you wouldn’t believe we could use that but that is how we use the indigenous plants. In England that was a major hit because people had never seen it,” he said.
The Woodrose, Daisley explained, was grown mainly in St Philip.
“We would pick those and since they are already dry, we would use them in the borders. Nobody had seen that and they thought it was artificial,” he said, adding that broken mahogany pods were also used in the exhibit.
“So it’s not always flowers that we use. You can use all parts of the tree.”
Meanwhile, the BHS has already been allocated its space at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show and Daisley said the Barbadian team was pleased with it.
“The trouble is at Chelsea you are competing against yourself. When you get gold, you’re not competing against your neighbours or another country. There is a certain standard they look for and since we won gold, we are always challenged into doing very well,” he said.
