Interview Hortus Flora
At a beautiful location in Maassluis you will find Hortus Flora. Fresh flowers every day, a wide range of home accessories and unique orchid bouquets. Every Alstroemeria sat down with Peter de Hoog and Tessa Stolk to discuss the profession, entrepreneurship and applicability of the Alstroemeria.
Can you tell us something about the flower store?
"Hortus Flora will have existed for 51 years in 2023. The year 2014 was a more difficult period, that's also when it was decided to cut the store in half. In 2016 we took over the store, from the current owner who had taken it over again from his father. We had both been working at Hortus Flora for several years and when the acquisition came our way, we really wanted it! In 2019, we reconnected the entire store and expanded our offerings to include a wide range of flowers and home accessories such as vases, pots and candles."
What segment do you serve and what is most in demand?
"We generally serve the middle and high segment, except for spring, for example. During this period we also have bulbs in our range and also serve the low segment.
The types of bouquets are very variable, we regularly get requests for special moments, as well as customers who come every week or every two weeks to get fresh flowers or a bouquet."
What is unique about your flower store?
"We are one of the few to have a wide assortment of orchid flowers, we get these directly from the grower. From these flowers we also make special bouquets, for this people come especially to our store. We also have exclusive rights to the vases and pots we sell, we did this because interior design stores in the area wanted to imitate us. This way we can give our customers a unique offer in home accessories."
What do you see reflected in the changing seasons?
"People are always moving with the seasons and we adjust our offerings accordingly. For example, in summer you see the brightly colored flowers, in autumn a lot of orange, red and yellow. In winter there is a little bit of everything, around Christmas a lot of red and white with gold decoration. And in the spring season everyone is looking for cheerfulness again, tulips are a hit and lots of pastel colors."
What do you think a good bouquet should include and what are your favorites at the moment?
"In a bouquet, the most important thing is that the proportions are right and the colors match and the overall picture is beautiful. Right now, the Biedermeier allium bouquet is our favorite, with an allium schubertii in the center surrounded by many beautiful small buds."
Do you have any tips for other florists?
"Start from yourself and don't look at someone else. Our experience is that florists look at someone else, they then wonder, 'why don't we have this or that?' this creates uncertainty. For us, we do what we like, listen to customer demand and it doesn't always have to be bigger."
What do you like most about the field and where do you get inspiration?
"The best thing about the profession is the diversity. We make many bouquets on demand, both private and corporate. For this we always enter into conversation with the customer, which is nice for us to really make a bouquet to your liking! We are inspired by the environment and by the work itself. So we don't really follow online and also don't go to events that often because you often see the same thing again."
What is the most extraordinary thing in the field that you have experienced?
"The customers' stories, some of them also stay with you forever. For example, a lot of younger people passed away last year for whom we were able to make the funeral arrangements. The gratitude of the family are moments that stay with you. But also the small everyday things like thank yous and birthdays. The customers' stories make the field special."
The Alstroemeria shows, is graceful and fills the bouquet.
What do you think are the most beautiful features of the Alstroemeria?
"The best features are the strength of the flower, the long vase life and also the gracefulness of the varieties. We are especially fans of the Charmelia White, Charmelia Pink and the Florinca Noa, we always have these in our assortment as well. In the summer we also have the Charmelia Yellow."
How do you process the Alstroemeria?
"We incorporate the Alstroemeria into basically any type of bouquet. The flower shows, is graceful and fills the bouquet. The Alstroemeria is at its best in a somewhat looser bouquet such as a field or pick bouquet."
What would you like to see from the Alstroemeria in the future?
"We think it would be cool if new colors were added to the Charmelia range. Pastel shades or just hard colors, like a salmon/apricot, lilac or hard pink color!"