afi magazine issue 45

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ISSN 1448-417X

Employing backpackers on the farmFarming with a pioneering spiritFlourishing in competitive floristry

Issue 45 December 2014

plusIndustry News

Marketing & Promotion Growing • Upcoming Events

Preparing for Valentine’s Day - page 18

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aUstralian flowEr indUstry – December 2014www.australianflowerindustry.com.au 3

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The Magazine for the Australian Cut Flower & Foliage Industry

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Editorial 4INDUSTRY NEWS Connecting the industry with information 6 Leading the Queensland industry into the future 7 New talent at Flowers Victoria 10 Floristry students look back to 1914 11BUSINESS, MARKETING & EDUCATION Back to basics 12 Creative design with wildflowers 13 So many ways to say ‘Happy Birthday’ 13 Headshots for beginners 14 Australian Flower Council update 15 Eclectic design inspirations 16 Retail buys the future 17 Flower retailing 22 What business are we in? 23 Sprucing up your website for the holidays 24 Updates to national training qualifications 25 Putting branding to work 26FEATURE: PREPARING FOR VALENTINE’S DAY Making flowers the gift of choice this Valentine’s Day 18 30 tips for a smooth Valentine’s Day 19 Cashflow cues 21INDUSTRY PROFILES Smile in a warzone 27 Some kind of wonderful 28 An affair with George 30 Farming with a pioneering spirit 32 Employing backpackers on the farm 34INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Valuing the flower selling supply chain 35 Flourishing in competitive floristry 36RESEARCH Where all the flowers are from: first results 38 Industry Biosecurity Plan update 39 Grower study tour cancelled 39 Efficiency project powers ahead 40BOOK REVIEW The Local Bouquet: saving a domestic cut flower industry 41 NEWS OF THE WORLD Growing the Dutch way in Australia 42 Best in Class 44 Californian Flower Farm Tour 442014 AWARD WINNERS AFI Small Florist Business of the Year Award of Excellence 2014 45 AFI Award of Excellence in Sustainable Cut Flower & Foliage Production 45INDUSTRY CONTACTS 45TRADE DIRECTORY 46UPCOMING EVENTS 47

CoverThe flowers are Protea ‘Pink Ice’ from Adei Wildflowers and bound for Japan. The model is Kana Umebayashi who comes from a small town near Osaka, Japan. Kana is in her second year of a working holiday around Australia.

aUstralian flowEr indUstry – December 2014www.australianflowerindustry.com.au4

Australian Flower Industry magazinewww.australianflowerindustry.com.au

PublisherFlower Association of Queensland Inc. PO Box 327, Cleveland, Qld 4163 Australia T: +61 7 3821 3350

www.flowersqueensland.asn.au

Managing EditorDenyse Corner E: [email protected] T: +61 7 3821 3350 M: 0408 060 746

EditorJanelle Dahler E: [email protected]

AdministrationWendy Ketter E: [email protected]

Graphic DesignCliff Eames and Sam Newell E: [email protected]

CorrespondenceAFI magazine welcomes Letters to the Editor and contributions to be considered for publication. The publisher reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and clarity. Correspondence to:

[email protected]

T: +61 7 3821 3350

Advertising InquiriesE: [email protected]

T: +61 7 3821 3350

PhotographsGood quality photographs submitted electronically in a high resolution jpg format are welcome for consideration.

FrequencyQuarterly – March, June, September and December

Circulation1400

CopyrightStories appearing in this publication are subject to copyright laws. For permission to reprint any material in Australian Flower Industry please contact [email protected]

DisclaimerWhile all care is taken in producing this publication, the publisher, FAQI and its officers accept no responsibility for any loss (including without limitation, liability in negligence) suffered by readers or advertisers as a result of inaccuracies, incompleteness of information or reliance on any information appearing in this publication. The inclusion of information on products and services does not imply recommendation.

© Copyright 2014. All rights reserved

A few words...

º The challenges and opportunities of Valentine’s Day

º Melbourne in bloom for MIFGS

º Discovering Tasmania

º Tips for growing a successful business

Next issue

Greetings and welcome to the summer edition of the magazine. The long hot days of summer

have already started, a clear indicator that the festive season is just around the corner.

This is a time for reflecting on the year that is drawing to a close. How did you go? Did you tick all your boxes? We are feeling a great sense of satisfaction with the four issues of the magazine produced this year. In an industry that is changing so rapidly, we are honoured that one thing remaining constant is your support for the magazine. Our goal for each issue is to provide exclusive material that educates, entertains and challenges our readers, and of course this wouldn’t happen without our wonderful contributors. To each of them, I say, thank you so much!

Our authors have exchanged ideas, raised issues (some controversial), answered questions, presented opinions and explored ideas that readers may not have previously considered. Over many years, our articles have covered a wide range of vital topics. They have shown a grower how to improve efficiency, manage problems and save money. They have informed a florist about new techniques, product supply opportunities and current trends. And they have offered help to all cut flower and foliage enterprises in dealing with the basics of business management. We wanted to make sure that the industry could continue to access this

unique and invaluable information on an ongoing basis. So we worked with FAQI to create the Flower Knowledge Centre, an exciting new interactive product which readers can learn more about on page 6.

This edition of the magazine presents stories from Australia and around the world. Thank you to Genevieve McCaskill for penning her wonderful account of Frank Baguley’s life-long devotion and commitment to the floriculture industry in Victoria. ‘Farming with a pioneering spirit’ is another inspiring story on the challenges and rewards of flower farming from New Zealand (page 32). And as usual, we present an array of information on professional Australian floristry, including an enlightening peek into the demands and rewards of competitive floristry from acclaimed floristry judge David Berger on page 36.

If you are looking for that perfect Christmas gift, consider an AFI magazine gift certificate found on page 17. And check out page 41 for a bonus opportunity to go into the draw to win a fabulous book by Debra Prinzing.

As I sign off for another year, I send my best wishes for the special joys of the season to you and your family. Be happy, stay safe and I will be back to chat to you again in the Autumn of the new year.

Denyse Corner [email protected]


INDUSTRY NEWS

A big welcome

Introducing our new Advertising Coordinator, the one

and only Shane Holborn. You will remember Shane as the founding editor of this great magazine. While he has been busy with other things for the last five years, he is now back to work with AFI for small stints throughout the year in between managing his own susccessful business, BioScience Australia. Shane knows and understands the cut flower and foliage industry, and the team at AFI looks forward to his contribution to the magazine in 2015.

If you have any advertising suggestions, advice or orders to pass on to Shane (or even just to say g’day), please send him an email at [email protected]

You won’t want to miss the 20th Anniversary of the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show - where the floriculture industry gathers to celebrate!

March 25-29, 2015Royal Exhibition Building Gardens, Carlton

Visit the Flowers Victoria website for up-to-date news on events, workshops and announcements!

www.flowersvic.com.au

Brought to you in partnership with:

Purchase your tickets at www.racv.com.au/travel

A Division of Victorian Farmers Federation

As we celebrate our 45th edition, we want to say Thank You to our valued advertisers, who make this magazine possible.We wish our advertisers and our readers a very happy and healthy Christmas.

Image courtesy of Gregor Lersch

www.topoftherangeflowers.com.au

www.melbflowershow.com.au


Updated FAQI website

The Flower Association of Queensland Inc. (FAQI) has been actively assisting the cut flower and foliage industry for nearly

28 years. In addition to directly serving its Queensland members, FAQI is a strong supporter of the national industry through the wide-reaching outcomes of its many funded research projects and industry activities.

To better share these outcomes with industry and to make communication easier and more efficient, the FAQI website has been updated with a new, fresh and modern design. The new design will include the opportunity for members to use a secure log in to access member-only information, access project updates and reports, join in on industry discussion, buy or request publications, see upcoming industry events, and much more.

Queensland Grown, the Flower Knowledge Centre and the new FAQI website will be available from December 2014. Stay tuned for more information on how to use these tools and how they can benefit your business and industry.

Queensland Grown

Florists have long been asking for help to find locally-grown flowers and foliages. Like all of us, florists want to reduce their carbon

footprint, support local independent businesses and offer fresh, seasonal product to their customers. When florists are rushed on early-morning buying trips to market, they don’t always have time to ask local wholesalers where every product in every bucket has come from.

And on the other end of the chain, growers have been asking for new ways to tell more florists about their products. Driving around their local area and cold-calling on shops would take time and sales skills, not to mention the challenge in reaching florists who work out of studios and units, as well as finding someone to look after the flowers while growers are out trying to sell them. They could ask the wholesaler to promote their products for them, but wholesalers are busy and have twenty other growers’ products to sell. And sometimes growers might have a flower crop that’s too small for a wholesaler to take, or that they want to trial first before planting a whole tunnel full.

The team at the Flower Association of Queensland Inc. (FAQI) saw this need for better communication throughout the supply chain.

They have responded by creating a new online resource called Queensland Grown, where growers, wholesalers and florists can come together and connect.

Through the Queensland Grown website, users can:

• searchforlocalgrowersintheirregion

• searchbyproductstheyarelookingtosourcelocally

• discoverthedifferentgrowingregionsofQueensland

• uploadinformationoncrops,theirfloweringseasonandprogress reports

• letprospectivecustomersknowwheretheycanbuytheflowers and foliages

• addimagesandchangecontactdetailsonline,witha secure login.

Queensland Grown has been developed with funding support from the Queensland industry and Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL). While the product has been supported by Queensland businesses and developed for the Queensland industry, it also offers important benefits to the national industry by serving as a model for the rest of the states to improve communication and education about their flower and foliage products.

Flower Knowledge Centre

To remain viable on the world stage and continue to grow into the future, the Australian cut flower and foliage industry

needs quick access to comprehensive, reliable and high-quality information.

Over the years, the industry and the government have funded the development of numerous project results, reports, extension materials and other successful information products. These products were developed to address specific issues raised by industry, and they hold critical knowledge that represents a significant dollar value for the industry. The industry needs to be able to take advantage of all of these achievements and to access this store of collective knowledge and information in an efficient way.

The Flower Association of Queensland (FAQI) has developed the Flower Knowledge Centre, an online library for the Australian cut flower and foliage industry. This easy to use, searchable database will allow the user to find information on all sectors of the supply chain, from growing through to wholesaling, floristry, retailing, marketing and more. The aim is for FAQI staff to regularly add to the resource, building the library up over time into a comprehensive repository of nationally-relevant information.


Connecting the industry with information

INDUSTRY NEWS


Leading the Queensland industry into the future

Denyse Corner

The Flower Association of Queensland Inc. (FAQI) has just finalised a four-year industry development project, Providing capacity building services to the cut flower and foliage industry, which was supported by Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL). The

outcomes of this highly successful project have included industry leadership, better communication across the industry and a range of industry capacity-building events. The team at FAQI would like to share some of the successes of the last four years with AFI magazine readers.

The overall aim of the project was to support the Queensland flower industry’s progress towards a dynamic, profitable and sustainable long-term future. FAQI has a proven track record of inter-state collaboration to lead the national industry towards these common goals, as well as maintaining the momentum and member service provision on a state level. The association has consistently delivered above expectations throughout the life of the project, thanks to the dedication of the team and also to the professional, hard-working people of the Queensland flower industry. The industry is indebted to HAL for its ongoing financial support for this and other projects managed by FAQI.

Funding to support the industryThe four-year project involved developing and coordinating a series of related projects and activities to meet the business needs of industry and also enable FAQI to continue to grow for the ongoing support of the industry and its members. In addition to funding from HAL with a voluntary contribution paid for by

member funds, other project funding sources have included Austrade promotion for the export sector and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC). State government support has all but diminished over the past decade, as it also has for many other industries. One exception has been funding provided by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) for the Rural Water Use Efficiency-Irrigation Futures (RWUE-IF) program. FAQI has been involved in this program since 2009, with the current round concluding in 2017.

With this funding, the FAQI team has successfully administered a number of projects in areas that are vital to our industry.

Growing markets for QueenslandA significant aspect of the project has involved defining the nature and scope of the current Queensland industry and identifying areas for potential further growth. The industry remains strong, with well-defined niche products in both the domestic and export markets. These markets are expanding as growers move into more unique varieties, in response to demands from florists, other retailers and the discerning modern flower consumer. Wholesalers report growth in the industry, which has been demonstrated by increased numbers of plantings.

Interstate sales of cut flowers and foliage are to a large extent driven by Queensland’s climate, which allows for out-of-season supply to the southern markets, as well as the production of specialised sub-tropical and tropical varieties such as Christmas

www.rtfb.com.au


bush and heliconia. The collation of such information on the nature of the markets and the status of the state industry has been a key part of project management and ongoing project planning.

On-farm and business toolsThe industry has clearly improved its position in the market place, with price demands better reflecting the true cost of production. This process has been assisted by the project through the development of targeted industry resources, such as the FAQI Cost and Profit Calculator, which helps growers accurately cost their products, leading to better financial decision-making during the marketing process.

Other resources that have been developed to help businesses prioritise activities, enhance on-farm processes and make better business decisions have included the Best Bunch Cut Flower Best Practice Guide, The Queensland Cut Flower Industry and Climate Change and the Wildflower Irrigation Handbook.

Learning about imported productsCurrent and accurate statistical data on cut flower and foliage products is vitally important for a clear understanding of market trends that affect the Australian industry. FAQI is currently collating the results of a project to examine available data on flower imports and exports, to learn more about the global trade in cut flower and foliage products and its relationship to Australian retail and production. Read more about the first of the project outcomes on page 38.

The National Industry Biosecurity Plan (IBP) is another AFC project being managed by FAQI, which will result in the development of a strategy to safeguard the industry against the incursion of exotic pests and diseases. The IBP will assist in minimising the risk of entry, establishment or spread of identified target invasive pests and diseases that could have major economic, social, health or environmental impacts. Read more about the project on page 39. Also, you can read more about the AFC and its activities on page 15.

The Know it to Grow it #Commference…was an

outstandingly successful event which embodied…

connections and conversations through all forms

of social media.

Strengthening sustainabilityThe Rural Water Use Efficiency-Irrigation Futures project (RWUE-IF) is assisting growers to improve their energy and water efficiencies, which are vital steps to improve business profitability and also to protect the environment and our precious non-renewable resources. The project will see the installation of more efficient technology to reduce cool room operation costs by up to 20 per cent, and the installation of automated water application equipment to more precisely apply water to each crop. Read more about the RWUE-IF activities and outcomes on page 40.

More success storiesThe project Providing capacity building services to the cut flower and foliage industry has seen a great deal of successful outcomes, almost too numerous to mention in one article. Regular readers of Australian Flower Industry will know that this magazine is a primary method of national industry communication, and it represents yet another significant result of the project. The Know it to Grow it #Commference on the Gold Coast in June was an outstandingly successful industry event which embodied the theme of communication through a focus on networking, information, connections and conversations through all forms of social media.

In addition, projects that played foundational roles in capacity building in the lead up to the current project included Flowers 2006 and Flowers 2011 – The Australian Flower Conference, pest management through the Cut flower and foliage industry pesticide gap analysis, and Soil-borne biocontrol on western flower thrips in cut flowers.

Where to from here?As the current project winds down, FAQI’s vision for the invigoration of the Queensland cut flower and foliage industry is a step closer to reality. The team will connect the industry through information and knowledge by launching three new resources, the newly designed FAQI website, the Flower Knowledge Centre and the Queensland Grown resource, which are described on page 6. And the other projects previously mentioned which are currently in the final stages of completion will be finalised and the results shared with the industry.

It is an exciting time for the cut flower and foliage industry, and the team at FAQI have been privileged to be a part of helping it to go from strength to strength.

Denyse Corner is the Business and Industry Development Manager for FAQI.


Supporting the national industryFAQI is a strong supporter of national collaboration through its active involvement in the Australian Flower Council (AFC). On behalf of the AFC, FAQI developed Careers in flowers and foliage: A guide to opportunities in the Australian flower and foliage industry. The publication highlights the many opportunities and benefits of working in the cut flower and foliage industry, and promotes the professionalism of the industry by emphasising the importance of training and qualifications.


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Commencing in the Marketing and Events role at Flowers Victoria

in August, Genevieve McCaskill brings several years of experience in floristry, events and communications.

Upon completion of a Certificate III in Floristry, Genevieve ran her own freelance floristry business after hours whilst working in a variety of marketing roles in the fashion industry and visual merchandising company Oswald Sealy. She progressed on to an

advertising role in real estate, followed by a Marketing and Events Coordinator role at The Australian Retailer’s Association of Victoria where she managed their communications, breakfast seminars and annual Retailer of the Year Awards. Genevieve’s love for floristry was inescapable and she enjoyed working at a successful florist in Melbourne’s CBD which culminated in the coordination of flower/fashion parades as a sideline event for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week and other festivals and events.

As the Communication Manager for the Nursery & Garden Industry Association (NGIV), Genevieve was the Editor of Groundswell magazine and coordinated events to unite the nursery and garden industry and showcase new stock varieties. Recent years have seen Genevieve involved with her father’s former recruitment business where she enjoyed the down to earth nature of the hardware and building Industry, all the while continuing to freelance PR, marketing content, social media and brochures for external businesses.

Genevieve’s focus for Flowers Victoria is to continue to support local businesses in the floriculture industry by identifying key promotional opportunities for the cut flower to consumer supply chain and highlighting locally grown product. This will be reinforced through uniting the industry and working with Flowers Victoria members to understand their needs, further their interest areas and best service them. Genevieve is also working on building membership to form a collective alliance and solid representation of all flower related businesses. She is currently working with the Victorian Farmers Federation careers advisory on further development of the educational sector to work with schools on a holistic level to build and instil positive perceptions of floristry as a chosen career.

Increasing member benefits and creating events for members and consumers to gain greater knowledge of the products is part of the overall strategy and direction of Flowers Victoria. This involves seasonal and ad hoc events and campaigns designed to dissolve the ‘luxury commodity’ tag, and instead deliver the message that flowers are a necessary enhancement to everyday life .

The Australian Government has welcomed the registration of Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited as a new research, development and marketing body to support Australia’s $9.5 billion horticulture industry.

The establishment of Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (HIAL) follows a recent independent report into the performance of Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL) which recommends a change to a new grower-owned research & development company.

It also follows the commencement of a senate enquiry into industry structures and systems governing the importation of and disbursement of marketing & research and development levies in the agriculture sector.

www.maff.gov.au

New talent at Flowers Victoria

New Horticulture Body

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Floristry students look back to 1914

Rungtiwa Kleebpud from Pearsons School of Floristry

The Flower Growers Group of NSW Inc. held their annual student floristry and scholarship competition at the Sydney Flower Market in early September. Held amidst the bustle of

the market, students started work at 4.30 a.m. and had at best an hour to complete their work. A record number of 26 students competed.

To commemorate the centenary of WWI, the bouquet was to be a modern interpretation of a bridal bouquet made using Australian wildflowers 100 years ago. For inspiration they had a black and white photo of a bridal party taken in 1914.

All flowers used had to be Australian natives and all of the following components had to be used: Giant lily, Eucalyptus caesia ‘Silver Princess’, kangaroo paw, Mt Warning Daisy, flannel flower, waxflower, and dodder vine, a large posy holder and white satin ribbon.

Students currently studying Certificate III floristry competed for a number of scholarships to support their further training, presented by ACE Ohlsson, the Sydney Markets and the NSW Flower Growers Group.

The lucky winners announced at the NSW Masquerade Ball in October were:

• NatashaHirchausenfromHunterTAFE,KurriKurri Campus

• RungtiwaKleebpud fromPearsonsSchoolof Floristry

• JasmineCookfromSydneyInstituteof TAFE, Ultimo

• MatthewHaylerfromPearsonsSchoolofFloristry and Erin Phillips from Northern Sydney Institute, Hornsby College, who were two students with identical marks.

The award for the total combined marks achieved by the three students from a TAFE for the NSWFGG School of Floristry Trophy Award went to Sydney Institute of TAFE, Ultimo for achieving the highest total marks for their three students in the competition. Sydney Institute of TAFE, Ultimo were up against strong competition from the other institutes including Orange, Western Sydney, Hornsby, Ryde, Sydney, Campbelltown, Padstow and Kurri Kurri and Pearsons School of Floristry.

Jasmine Cook from Sydney TAFE

Judges Saskia Havekes, Michelle Collison and Jardine Hansen had the very daunting task of assessing the entries and selecting the winners.


BUSINESS, MARKETING & EDUCATION

Researchers are watching live brain scans to discover what we see, and how we make decisions. Programmers are tweaking online algorithms to instantly track and respond to our search behaviours. Scientists are exploring the world of sensory

marketing, to tap into our deepest instincts and memories.

Packaging is becoming multipurpose, edible, biodegradable. It has sensors built in to alert us when the contents are out-of-date. It has microchips to record temperature and location. It has personalisation that we can create on demand.

We’re not going to talk about all that.

Because sometimes it’s the basics that make the difference in business. The everyday, run of the mill, standard operating procedures that make or break a sale.

Like:• HavingawebsiteorFacebookpage.• Havingawebsitewhereallthelinkswork.• Havingawebsitewithyourproductsonline• Havingawebitethat’salwaysup-to-date;

• Withclear,in-focus,colour-accuratephotos,sopeople canseewhatyouoffer;

• Andaclearlinktoyourcontactdetailstogetintouch.

• Arangeofwaysforpeopletogetintouchwithyou,including: turning up at your door (if that is possible), an online form, live chat, Direct Messaging, tweet, FB comment, phone, text, email, snail mail.

• Apromptresponsetoanyenquiries–fiveringsforaphonecall, autoreply for an email (so they know it’s been received), push notifications on your phone (so you know you’ve been messaged).

“Because sometimes it’s the basics that make the

difference in business.“

• Ifyoucan’tpickupwithinfiverings,aninformativemessagefor callers telling them what to do next, and how else they can get in touch with you.

• Ready-preparedanswerstotheirprobablequestions,whetherthat’s an FAQs webpage, paper factsheets and handouts, or instructive signage – online or on the premises.

Look, it’s really hard being a small business owner having to do everything yourself. We know that. So the more procedures you have in place, the less you actually have to do yourself.

Back to BasicsThere are some truly exciting developments happening in marketing right now. It’s thrilling.

Andrea Caldecourt

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The theme for this year’s WildFlowers Australia national student floristry competition was ‘Happy Birthday’. Certificate III floristry students entering the competition designed and

constructed a birthday arrangement of flowers and foliages to suit their chosen recipient. A high standard and wide range of design styles confirmed a bright future for our future florists.

All worked hard to complete their designs and presentations, encouraged by their teachers. Students had thought deeply about what flowers and foliage products to use, and many chose flowers for their symbolism or direct links to the recipient.

With 83 entries from nine colleges in four states and the ACT, judging was certainly challenging and complex. The judges applied the following criteria: selection of materials consistent with the requirements of the category entered, appropriate choice of materials, good structure, a fitting design, well written design notes and the teacher’s marking sheet.

For the first time this year, students could refer to the new floristry resource What Cut Flower is That? for background information on wildflower products and their care.

Sincere thanks go to our 2014 competition sponsors: Freshflowers.com.au, Sydney Markets Ltd, Flower Association of Qld Inc., East Coast Wildflowers, Premium Greens Australia, The International Protea Association, WAFEX, Apack Pty Ltd and Civil & Structural Engineering Design Services Pty. Ltd.

A summary of each winner’s design notes and all entries in the competition can be viewed on the WildFlowers Australia website, www.wildflowersaustralia.com.au

Creative design with wildflowers

A fabulous floristry demonstration evening was held in late August, featuring the creative skills of demonstrators David Berger and Bernie Gadd. A crowd of over 60 watched as they

created 16 arrangements using an extravagant assortment of top quality Australian and South African flowers and foliages.

David and Bernie applied their own personal styles, using wildflowers to produce a wide range of designs from soft bouquets and baskets to striking and very modern arrangements. They shared many simple tricks and tips with the appreciative audience, including floristry techniques like correct placement of material and advantages of stripping leaves to expose the stems, along with advice on extending vase life.

Padstow College South Western Sydney Institute, TAFE NSW proved to be an exceptional venue and event partner. Products used were supplied through East Coast Wildflowers and Premium Greens Australia. The event was hosted by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and WildFlowers Australia Ltd, in conjunction with Padstow College.

A CD of photos showing the arrangements is available to purchase at nominal cost. Register your interest at [email protected]

David BergerDavid created this arrangement as a statement piece suitable for a gallery opening. Three waratahs (first of the season!) take centre stage, their red tones highlighted by the red kangaroo paws. A useful trick for adding interest – the green berries are clivia berries placed onto sticks.

Bernie Gadd Striking woven squares have been created using Lomandra and they have been arranged into a bouquet with orange pincushions (Leucospermum) - the trick is to ensure that each stem of Lomandra is spiralled perfectly – easier said than done!

So many ways to say ‘Happy Birthday!’

Bettina Gollnow and Helen Tremain

Category 1. Wildflower and foliage products. Winner Zoe Knox, from Challenger Institute of Technology, WA, promoted the diversity of Australian grown wildflowers with her design ‘Made in Australia’.


So you think headshots are just for the rich and famous? Well in today’s business environment, don’t we all need to be a bit of a celebrity? People love putting a face to a name, and a good headshot makes that so much easier. A quality, high-resolution

image can be used as a profile image on social media, in the ‘About our shop’ section of your website, or in advertising materials if you deliver workshops or presentations.

Look at your profile picture on LinkedIn or Facebook. What does it say about you? If it says, ‘selfie on a camera phone at ten in the morning after I had ran around at the markets’, then perhaps you need to update your image. A good headshot or profile picture directly links you and your business and it is imperative that you have good connection in your images. You are your business and your business is you! So out with those blurry profile pictures that you haven’t updated in years, and in with an effective representation of yourself as the head of your professional business.

Society has a very narrow perception of beauty and it is very easy to photograph that which society considers beautiful. But we are all different and each face tells a different story. While small, temporary imperfections are fleeting and can be reduced, fine lines and creases are experience and expression and should be celebrated. If there are particular points that concern you (often it’s wrinkles for ladies and a double chin for men), then good lighting, posing and just a touch of photo editing can alleviate these issues.

Confidence is the key, and it can make or break a headshot. Everyone has Photography Aversion Syndrome to some degree, and the only way to get over it is to get in front of a camera. At a recent conference, I asked everyone in the audience to pull out their phones and take a photo of the person sitting next to them. If you can let a stranger take your photo, it is the first step to gaining confidence in front of the camera. Randomly ask family, friends andcolleaguestotakeyourphoto;whiletheseimagesarejustfor

fun and not to be used for your headshot, they are an amazing way to build self-confidence and capture some genuine emotion.

Features of a great professional headshot• Anidealprofessionalheadshotistakenincolour,withcorrect

lighting, posing and exposure, and styling of your hair, makeup and clothing.

• Shoparoundforaphotographerwhospecialisesinheadshots.Many provide hair, makeup and styling services as well as photography.

• Developingaheadshotshouldnotbearushedorunplannedprocess, or the results will be unsatisfactory.

• Aheadshotshouldnotbephotoshoppedbeyondthepoint of believability or to a point that wipes away facets of your personality, as this will lead to mistrust.

• Headshotsneedtobeupdated,especiallyaftermajorchangesto your appearance.

• Askyourphotographerifthedigitalimagesareincludedandifthey include perpetual licencing, so you can use the headshots (your investment) for years to come.

Taking your headshot at home• Asksomeoneclosetoyoutotakeaheadshotifyouwishto

avoid the expense of a professional.

• Useacamerawithahighlevelofimagequality.Experimentwith a range of cameras to find one that suits the purpose.

• Practiceinfrontofamirrortogetyourexpressionright,startingwith creating engaging eyes.

• Positionyourselfaroundonetotwometresfromaplainbackground, in good natural light. Turn the flash on the camera off and check the settings.

Rhinda Larsen

Headshots for beginners

www.addaballoon.com.au


Australian Flower Council update

The Australian Flower Council (AFC) is a collaborative initiative between Flowers Victoria, the Flower Growers Group of NSW and the Flower Association of Queensland Inc. (FAQI), with a

focus on projects that benefit the Australian flower industry. The role of the AFC is to represent a unified voice of the national industry and to provide an avenue through which the states can work together to efficiently address common industry issues.

Since the early days of its inception, the AFC has recognised the vital importance of biosecurity to the national industry. The first funded AFC project is continuing to make progress towards the development of an industry biosecurity plan for the cut flower and foliage industry. Plant Health Australia has been contracted to carry out the project, with project management by FAQI. Read more about the industry biosecurity plan on page 39.

The AFC is now also represented on the Post-Entry Plant Industry Consultative Committee (PEPICC), the principle advisory forum for the Department of Agriculture to consult with the plant importing and exporting industry.

Other important issues currently being considered by the AFC include:

• country-of-originlabelling

• Australian-grownflowers

• theestablishmentofanincorporatednationalbody

• anindustrylevyandhowlevyfundscouldbeused

• nationalpromotionalactivitiestoincreasethevolumeandsales value of flowers used in Australia.


• Withyourbodyturnedaround45degreesawayfromthecamera, bring your head around and lean your forehead forward, to make your eyes appear larger and therefore more connected. Smiling eyes create expression, expression is connection and connection is trust.

• Itmaybebesttoshootfromaslightlyhigherangleinsomecases, as this can slim down the features and give more definition to the jawline. Everyone has a ‘good side’, so experiment by photographing from the left or right side to find what works best.

• Yourheadshotshouldbetakenincolourandneverin black and white. If a website or organisation requires your image, they will convert it so that the look is consistent for the publication.

“A quality, high-resolution image can be used as a

profile image on social media, in the ‘About our shop’

section of your website, or in advertising materials if

you deliver workshops or presentations.“

Let’s look at some examplesWe are business owners, not actors and models. Some of us are unconventionally beautiful. Good posing and good lighting creates a headshot that is flattering and creates connection. Smiling eyes are important. All of these features can be seen in the first image at top left, creating an effective and engaging headshot.

A mugshot style image like the one shown in the middle, without posing, lighting or editing, does not flatter nor convey connection with your client. The deadpan look is fine for a passport, but doesn’t sell you as an expert.

While the iPhone is a popular camera phone, it lacks the depth and quality that a more high-end headshot requires. This image shown on the right will do in a pinch, but it is not a long-term solution. Camera phone style images look homemade at best and have a selfie quality that is not desirable for use in business.

If you need help in getting over your Photography Aversion Syndrome, upload your headshot to Australian Flower Industry magazine’s Facebook page, and show yourself to the world!

Rhinda Larsen has been behind the camera for ten years shooting a range of subjects, from weddings to commercial images to floristry industry events. She also works with her family at Daisy’s Florist Toowong where she is responsible for creating images for marketing and for documenting changes in floristry styles.

www.rhindalarsenphoto.com


Gregory Milner

Recently I went to a forum attended by employers representing floristry, hairdressing and beauty therapy. I found it very interesting to listen to comments made by the employers in their respective trades regarding the financial expectation of

their staff from the business, and how the staff know what is expected of them in financial return to the business to justify their wages.Onehairdresserstated,“Ilovemyapprentices;theyaregreat little money earners.” Several other hairdressing employers agreed with this remark. A beauty therapy employer advised they charge five times the hourly wage on a service and several agreed this was common within the industry.

“It really is time that the floral industry identifies… what it

expects staff to make in financial return to the business.“

I wondered from these comments how many floristry employers view their apprentices/trainees as “great little money earners”? I believe this would be uncommon. I quizzed some employers after the meeting about training and store structure and the hairdressers advised that it is common to launch into practical training and product knowledge right from the onset, to make them as valuable to the business as quickly as possible. This is also infused with formal, accredited trade training. After service care products are promoted in sales and most salons work on electronic recording to make the monitoring easier. Rewards for sales targets are common across hairdressing and the beauty industry. Sales rewards are not commonplace across floristry. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but encouragement for staff to actually present their worth to the business in a clear structure is not common in floristry.

“Another concept that excited me was looking at some

of the varied European designs...“

It really is time that the floral industry identifies, in clear guidelines, what it expects staff to make in financial return to the business. I consider the three industries represented to be artistic industries, but my own research over the last five years has shown a professional costing structure across hairdressing and beauty therapy. In floristry, by contrast, there is such a mishmash of costing methods, with some not allowing for labour. I have written about labour cost in previous AFI articles so I will not rehash this, but it is wise to look at other industries and compare structures. Labour is the most costly commodity and it must have its inbuilt return to the business.

Another concept that excited me was looking at some of the varied European designs, as I was recently overseas visiting a range of countries. France offers eclectic floristry and space features in designs. I remember one very successful florist explaining to me how much they charge for space in their arrangements! It’s a fun

comment, but look at it from a business aspect. If every flower does its job in a design, that is, every flower or piece of foliage is absolutely needed in the design, then space takes the place of extra blooms. This was clearly the concept I saw in France. I visited many smaller towns from northern France to the south and some of the work outstripped Paris. The variety between stores was also exciting as it was so varied in construction designs.

Eclectic design inspirations

Design by Gregor Lersch, European master of floral design. Given the time in preparation and construction, this design limits commercial viability.

Florist shops in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy all showed varied styles and the only massed types of designs I saw were bouquets. Presentation finish was mainly foliage, not other forms of embellishment. The flower market prices I observed showed that the retail pricing structure in Europe definitely appears to be structured on a more organised method. Many of the florists in Europe are male and most work is made in front of the client. Do not confuse photographs of European design as opposed to commercial European floristry. This can be misleading to a florist who has not observed floristry in a respective country first hand. Commercial floristry is using flower/foliage in a design form that is visually attractive, transportable, meeting the occasion and with consideration to life span and budget. Some of the known European designers are not involved in day-to-day commercial floristry. It assists creativity and innovation when you constantly look at designs in other countries. Variety in floral designs can set your store apart from the rest. It certainly works in Europe.

Gregory Milner M.Ed. is an award winning third generation florist. He is the principal of Marjorie Milner College, a national judge, floristry author, international demonstrator and President of the Australian Association of Floral Designers.



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Are foreign imports a strain or a gain?Labour, money well spent?

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Australian Flower Industry Australia’s number one floriculture magazine, is filled with research, news, views, opinion pieces, pictures to delight, expert advice and much, much more.

The perfect Christmas Gift!

Unable to decide on the perfect gift? An AFI magazine gift voucher is a great way to take the stress out of gift shopping. Simply contact [email protected] with your payment details and we will send a Gift Certificate to either you or your gift recipient. If you elect to start the gift subscription from the December issue, you will go into the draw to win one of the fabulous books on page 41.

There are few industries that could be more sensitive to changes in our natural environment - and the need to protect it - than the flower industry. While a bouquet of flowers is a reminder to

us of the beauty in the world, it is also a reminder of just how fragile the world is. And when you rely on nature for your livelihood as the flower industry does, it makes it even more important that we protect the world.

As part of retailers’ contribution to environmental sustainability in business, the National Retail Association (NRA) has recently launched our Retail Buys the Future energy efficiency program for businesses. This program gives businesses expert tips on cutting operating costs through reducing their carbon footprint.

Industries which rely heavily on refrigeration and lighting are highly exposed to rising power costs. Reducing consumption can not only help the environment, it can also help save you money. But often the path to making those reductions is confusing. Retail Buys the Future provides low-to-no cost solutions that you can easily implement in your business today.

Specifically, there is a fact sheet on how to reduce running costs for cold rooms and bulk refrigeration facilities. You can access the fact sheet and learn more by searching for the Retail Buys the Future information on the NRA website.

The NRA has recently also launched our ‘Connecting Retail’ business portal, which is designed to help business owners

expand their online presence and open up new opportunities in e-commerce. With of the ever-evolving digital sales techniques available, businesses need to keep on top of the latest tools so you don’t get left in the wake of your competitors.

The Digital Business Kit - Connecting Retail portal provides tailored information and industry best practice case studies to help small and medium-sized enterprises use digital platforms to improve their businesses, understand how best to make use of new technologies and provide guidance to help get online results. Topics covered in the portal include: selling online, using cloud, online security, telework, eMarketing, customer support, rich media, B2B, business intelligence and eBusiness. You can select the topic you are looking for and access only that module, without having to spend time looking through all the available information.

Bothoftheseinitiativesarefreeresourcesforbusinesses;youdon’t need to be a member of the NRA in order to gain access to them.

They say knowledge is power, but what’s more important is that you actually use the information that’s now freely available to boost your marketing and customer service strategies, and halve your energy bills to help your profits soar.

www.nra.net.auwww.nradigitalkits.com

Retail buys the futureTrevor Evans, National Retail Association

www.australianflowerindustry.com.au


Feature Preparing for Valentine’s Day

Adrian ParsonsValentine’s Day will fall on a Saturday in 2015, and this is often met with a variety of responses from industry members. Most take a fairly negative view of the Saturday impact, lamenting the loss of sales to offices and CBD locations. It is often felt that Valentine’s Day romantics opt to send to their loved one at their workplace to make a public declaration of their love and

Making flowers the gift of choice this Valentine’s Day

affection. Some pundits say the sending of flowers to a workplace also drives new purchases, as it prompts fellow workers to organise their own flower gifts. And a small percentage of the population may even argue that romantics with multiple partners prefer the workplace as a gift destination so as not to cause any conflicts on the home front!

Whilst the CBD florist is likely the most affected by a weekend Valentine’s Day, other flower industry members such as supermarkets, weekend markets and possibly online flower vendors would welcome this opportunity to increase foot traffic and sales volume on one of the biggest flower-giving occasions of the year.

“One of the key marketing tools will be social media as

a way of engaging with the high frequency Valentine’s

Day purchasing demographic 20-30 years old or

Gen Y. Social media marketing offers an efficient and

effective way to stay connected with Gen Y and an

insight into what may capture their attention and

shape the opinions of this generation. “

The risk of lost revenueA 15 per cent drop in flower sales is often quoted in Australia, UK and USA when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend. There is no concrete market research to assess how and where this drop in sales is relocated in terms of consumer spending habits. However, there is no doubt that overall, Valentine’s Day consumer spending volume is maintained. So this means that the flower industry will lose sales volume to other products, all because of unwillingness in our industry to invest in targeted consumer promotion.

A serious concern for the Australian flower industry is our meek and inactive response to this weekend Valentine’s Day scenario.

We appear to simply accept a 15 per cent drop in sales, and not grasp that fact that the overall consumer spend will be maintained at Valentines Day but with that 15 per cent of potential sales revenue being re-routed into other gift options.

The Australian flower industry Valentine’s Day sales trends over the past five years have been steady and showing acceptable

growth, relative to overall retail landscape trends. This steady cut flower sales growth at Valentine’s Day has been driven mostly by good luck, as our core product is deemed the gift of choice for most Valentine’s Day consumers. Whilst competing consumer products such as chocolates, jewelry and lingerie invest heavily in Valentine’s Day promotion, our industry on the whole relies on the consumer’s perception that flowers are the most appropriate gift to impress their lover.

We can possibly continue to obtain steady Valentine’s Day sales growth in a Monday-to-Friday scenario. But when it comes to potentially hefty profit losses in relation to the other two days of the week, some proactive industry activity is needed to tackle our consumer marketing. Let’s not take these losses lying down – let’s shout out to our customers that flowers are the incomparable way to send a message of love on every single Valentine’s Day, every single year.

Flowers - The Gift of ChoiceI have driven an initiative to address the issue and have been in discussions to develop it further with Flowers Victoria. I have long recognised the problem of reduced weekend Valentine’s Day sales for the flower industry, and am keen to make a proactive response. The team at Flowers Victoria and I are encouraging all members of the industry to get behind a


Feature Preparing for Valentine’s Day30 tips for a smooth Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is very hectic for those who work in the industry. Everyone in the world wants red roses, and they all want

them on this one day, February 14th. And it’s not like you can stockpile them in warehouses six months in advance, or put them back in the warehouse if they are unsold.

So for all of us working in the industry, but especially if you’re a florist at the front line, columnist Andrea Caldecourt has compiled 30 suggestions on how to make your Valentine’s Day go a little more smoothly in 2015.

campaign to maximise flower sales and provide a counterpoint to other gift-based industries, which represent powerful competition that may only increase in the future if left unchallenged.

“A serious concern for the Australian

flower industry is our meek and

inactive response to this weekend

Valentine’s Day scenario.“

The Gift of Choice is the central theme and proposed marketing phrase of the campaign, the goal of which is to raise awareness amongst consumers of flowers and their importance for Valentine’s Day 2015. This could include customer-focused promotional materials at florists and other retail outlets which would carry the message, and a targeted plan to deliver the message in a timely and effective way in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day. Information and support will be provided to retailers to help them maximisesales;forexample,byassistingflorists to adopt innovative ways to drive flower orders in the few days directly prior to the day, therefore allowing them to access the workplace delivery market. One of the key marketing tools will be social media as a way of engaging with the high frequency Valentine’s Day purchasing demographic 20-30 years old or Gen Y. Social media marketing offers an efficient and effective way to stay connected with Gen Y and an insight into what may capture their attention and shape the opinions of this generation. Additional measures will likely be discussed with the industry as the campaign is developed.

Join in and get activeWith your support, the campaign to reclaim flowers as the perfect gift of choice on Valentine’s Day next year can be a marketing success story. And with successful marketing come consumer confidence, increased profits and a stronger future for our industry. Contact me using the details listed below to learn more and get involved.

E: [email protected]

The Run-up: Tips 1-12

1 Prep as much in advance as you can. Make bows, fold cello to size, fill up your rack of greetings cards. It may seem like weeks away but the more you can do now, the less you’ll be stressed nearer the time.

2 talk to your wholesaler (if you haven’t already!) The more detail you can give them about your order needs the fewer last-minute questions on the day. Specify varieties, growers if necessary, acceptable substitutes, stem length ranges, how much discretionary spend s/he has.

3 Plan what you will do if a) you sell out offlowersearly;andb)ifyoudon’tsellas fast as you’d anticipated. It doesn’t matter what you decide to do in both those cases – just that you’ve thought about it!

4 Check your till is full of change – and you have spare till rolls. Train everyone in how to use the EFTPOS machine. Make sure you can still take money even if there’s a power cut.

5 Make sure you can get access to all places when taking orders. There’s nothing worse than not being able to deliver a fresh bouquet. Ask for alternative options of where to deliver if buildings are closed or recipients are absent.

6 Get all your maps, toll tags, gps programs, together so that when you have to make 101 deliveries in rush hour traffic, you’re ready to go. Sign up for traffic update tweets or program your radio for traffic news. Have offline versions of maps in case of flat batteries or signal loss. Highlight any one-way streets, diversions, or roadwork maintenance.

7 Prep your media response. Your local media might contact you to a) do a nice human interest story on local businessesattheirbusiesttimeofyear;or b) a nasty story on imports, imagined price hikes etc. Make sure you know what you would say in advance – and who from your company would say it – so you’re not caught on the hop. Prep an email reply that you can send instead of an interview.

8 Make sure all your staff are on board with the extra hours they’ll need to work. Get temp staff on standby, rope in family and friends if necessary, and ensure you have up-to-date phone details for everyone.

9 Brief drivers if you have them, make sure they’re on board with the hours and routes. Pin up numbers for local cab companies in case of emergency or illness.


10 Get delivery vans serviced now. Check tyres, fuel and water levels, coolant and lights. Better safe than calling RACQ on your busiest day.

11 stock the cool room/case with bottles of water and soft drinks, plus fruit snacks. Put a stash of granola bars, nuts and dried fruit under the counter. No-one has time to eat properly but at least you can snack healthily.

12 refill the first aid kit. You know you’ll cut yourself/get a headache/put your back out.

Pre-orders: Tips 13-21

13 Encourage early ordering. Use techniques from other retail sectors – have an early cut off time for phone and website orders. Have a limited number of bouquetsforsale–‘only24left’;‘whenthey’re gone they’re gone’. Make the bouquets slightly cheaper if ordered now, and keep raising the price a little each day.

14 suggest alternatives to the red rose. It’s the symbol of the day but not everyone wants the cliché. Show what is available that is seasonal, or native, and other popular red flowers, that they can show their love with.

15 some people have allergies. It’s a fact! Some flowers have no or low pollen and so aren’t a problem for people with allergies. Keep a list of these flowers handy.

16 offer a ‘twofer’ option – order a Valentine’s Day bouquet AND an anniversarybouquet;orforthoseloversnot yet married, a birthday bouquet. You could offer free delivery, or free gift wrapping, to encourage the on-the-spot order.

17 For real romantics, offer a ‘once a month’ option to continue showing their love throughout the year. Every 14th of the month you’ll send a bouquet for them.

18 Don’t forget the guys! Not every bouquet has to be long-stem red roses. Make a few macho-style bunches for women to give to men.

19 Clearly explain any additional charges upfront. People don’t mind paying for these if they can see what they are paying for. Slipping in an extra $10 or $20 at the end of the order

process only annoys, if you’ve budgeted for a certain amount.

20 offer a menu of delivery options – free pick up in person, delivery anytime on 14th, delivery within set timeslots. This is how the big retailers do it – and they charge accordingly! Make sure you do the same.

21 Make it clear you are not an order gatherer. Show how much of the bouquet cost goes on flowers, how much on wrap, how much on delivery. Compare this to the order gatherer fee and demonstrate your value to your customers.

On the day – Tips 22-30

22 show the difference between the rose types. Line up rose types in bud vases: a supermarket sweetheart rose, a 50cm African/Indian rose, a 60cm Dutch rose, and an 80cm Colombian/Ecuadorian rose. Add in a local-grown rose or a scented garden-style tea rose to this display. That way, customers can see exactly what they get for their money.

23 Flag up attributes in shop – scented, local-grown, premium grade, seasonal, native. Use symbols or chalkboard picks. Share your knowledge with customers and make it easy for them to choose.

24 offer a range of options for all budgets – single stem, 6 roses and filler flowers, 12 non-roses, 12 classic red roses, 12 roses and filler flowers, etc. You know the score.

25 Don’t forget to offer something really extravagant like ‘a dozen dozens’ – that’s 144 roses! By setting a high benchmark you recalibrate the value of all the other options. If

there’s no moon to aim for, how do you reach the stars? And you never know – you might get an order for 144 roses that you wouldn’t have got without offering it as an option!

26 Make some super-impressive 15th Feb “sorry” bouquets for the guys that forgot. There’ll be some.

27 Take photos throughout the day and tweet/post too if you can. It shows the efforts to which you go to get the flowers out there to customers – and keeps them aware of any issues (traffic jams, crop failures) that you encounter. Maybe delegate this to a junior team member – or even one of your children – to do, throughout the day.

28 stick some music on to keep everyone’s spirits up. For you that might be calming classical or energising dance music. If there’s a team of you, make sure everyone gets a turn of their music choice.

29 Don’t forget to stop and breathe occasionally. If you feel your blood pressure rising, count to ten (or 100), go out the back and scream, make a silly face, shake it all out with a little dance. Something to get you back on your happy track.

30 At the end of the day, reward everyone – and that means you too – with pizzas and beer. Or cheeseburgers and beer. Or a staff barbie and beer. Either way, take time to say, we did a bloody good job. Here’s to next year.




Discover your inner creativity with 130+ pages of modern and

trendy Valentine’s inspired gift packaging and plush toys.

2015 Valentine’s Catalogue Out Now

www.koch.com.au

Cashflow cues

Here is a brief checklist of ideas that might help as you handle your finances for what is likely to be one of your busiest days of the year, Valentine’s Day, from Ianthe Gibson

of Gibson Clark Chartered Accountants.

a. Ensure that you have enough employees rostered on for the day. This may involve hiring contractors to deal with the extra workload. When hiring contractors, you should ensure that you meet your superannuation obligations. If you hire a contractor as an individual, you may still be liable for their superannuation and WorkCover.

b. Ensure that you have the funding to purchase additional stock for the day. This may mean ensuring that you have an overdraft or a Line of Credit in place. You don’t want to be held back in making sales and gaining profits by not having sufficient funds available. You should also check to see that you have good trading terms with your suppliers.

c. Check on your pricing for the day to ensure that you are on par with your competitors. You will want to remain competitive but at the same time make a good profit margin.

d. Look at how you can gain a competitive advantage. For example, if you use Google Adwords, you may want to review your spend on Adwords for the day to ensure that your website is getting on the first page of any Google searches. You may also want to engage the services of a Search Engine Optimiser (SEO) so that your website is correctly set up to appear at the top of any Google searches.

e. Look at cross-marketing strategies with complementary businesses in your area or businesses that you know in your network. You could look at offering deals, such as a discount at your store if goods are purchased at another store. For example, you may team up with a chemist or a gift shop and offer discounts if certain goods are purchased.

f. Due to the increased revenue for the day, your Business Activity Statement for the March quarter will be higher than other quarters. The March BAS is due at the end of

April if you lodge yourself or the end of May if you lodge through an accountant. A good idea is to put aside the GST (i.e. 10% of your sales) into a separate account so that the money is there when you need to pay your BAS.

g. If you do have surplus cashflow for the month, you may want to consider ‘parking it’ in your home loan offset account. This will reduce the interest on your home loan and you can draw it out and put it back into the business account when you need it.

h. You will have increased profitability and cashflow for the month, so think ahead about how you will handle the tax implications. You may want to look at putting some money away into superannuation. This will depend on your circumstances. You can put in a maximum of $35,000 if you are over 50 and $25,000 per year if you are under 50.

It is always advisable to seek independent, professional guidance for the effective and profitable financial management of any business.

www.gibsonclark.com.au


www.koch.com.au


Andrea Caldecourt

It leads to some interesting questions. What do you think?Should a florist – a creative person, a designer – encourage their customers and show them what good stylish flower design is? They are the expert after all. Should they incorporate the latest techniques, demonstrate their skills, offer enticing new varieties and unusual colours?

Or should a florist make and sell what their customers ask for, knowing there’s a market for it? Stick to the tried and tested, the bread-and-butter, regardless of their personal taste?

I guess that depends on whether they want to be a chef, or a cook.

Which do you want to be?If you’re located in a small town, with few immediate competitors, then maybe you feel you ought to be all things to all people. A cook. To sell what people are familiar with, and have asked you for over many years. You know there’s a market for it, or your business would have closed by now.

But maybe if you’re a shopper in a small town with not much choice, you’d like something different once in a while, especially if it’s a long trip to the city to find alternatives. So maybe there’s a customer base in your town you never even dreamed of, who are just waiting for new designs and products to arrive.

Unless every single person in your town buys flowers from you regularly, there are people who don’t want, what you have. And all the customer surveys I have done over twenty years show that the number of people who never buy flowers is extremely small. Which means that everyone else is going somewhere else to get flowers.

Where? Why? Are you sure about that?If the Australian market, in its current state of flux, develops along the same lines as the European market (and there is every indication it will) – then here’s what will happen.

1. Supermarkets will up their game and take flowers seriously. Category managers at head office, big-name florists designing branded bouquet ranges. Online sales. Bunches that challenge the florist for $40 and $50 price points.

2. More flower sellers will pop up – in clothing chains, department stores, servos, coffee shops, train stations, delis… and they’ll want pre-made mixed bunches and straight-line impulse bunches at low price points.

3. Prices will edge down as a result, helping shoppers get into the habit of buying flowers more often, outside of special occasions, for themselves. That means a new set of customers, new to flower buying, with new and different tastes.

4. Local growers will move out of low-value, high-volume commodity flowers, where imports can compete, and into specialist, niche, and seasonal products.

5. Florists will heavily target wedding, event, funeral, corporate markets. Their gift offer will be super-stylish, not to confuse itself with newly-improved supermarket bunches. They’ll offer niche and specialist items that other flower sellers don’t. Their personal service will be outstanding. More will move into art floristry, installations, competitions.

6. Florists that try to compete directly with supermarkets and flower sellers, without any marketing, service support or product differentiation, will find a struggle ahead.

Flower retailingFlower retailing is in a state of flux right now, here in Australia. It’s an exciting time! Each florist I talk to is trying to find their place in the market, their little patch of retail land. Trying to establish a name for themselves, or just secure a living.

Valentine’s Day retail supermarket display


Regardless of whether you breed, grow, handle, transport, import, wholesale or retail flowers, there is far more to your

business than just flowers. If someone asks what business you are in, saying something like “I’m in the flower business” means you’re only partially correct.

Terry Johnson

What business are we in?

Here are a few other businesses we’re all in:

The consumer satisfaction business The fundamental purpose of any consumer business like floriculture for any link in the chain of supply is consumer satisfaction. This is especially trueforretailflorists;sincetheirflowersalesareprimarilyforgiftsandspecial occasions, they need to satisfy two consumers: the purchaser and the recipient. On the other hand, everyone involved in every activity from breeding forward should also be in the business of satisfying consumers. Consumers are the ultimate judges of what sort of work we are doing.

The sentiment business The slogan “Reach out and touch someone” was originally FTD’s (Interflora’s) slogan. That’s what we do. We help consumers “Say it with flowers.” We deliver smiles. Flowers help people express sentiments they might have trouble expressing verbally. What a marvelous business to be in!

The pleasant memories business When a friend or relative passes away, there is frequently a memorial service involving a review and celebration of their life. Flowers contribute a necessary role in those services by giving attendees pleasant and comforting memories of the services. People and flowers may pass away, but our memories of them can last forever.

The health and happiness business Several recent university studies have clearly proven that just being around flowers improves human health and happiness, and isn’t that what every family wants? What an opportunity we have! Every household should have fresh flowers all year around.

The community service business Just pick up a paper or go online for what’s going on with today’s world and no one should be surprised to learn there are a lot of communities full of people needing to be cheered up. Know any product that can provide a natural and healthy way of accomplishing that? I do.

The logistics business Every link in the chain of flower supply, especially retail florists, needs to focus on flower logistics. If you are a retailer they are your flowers, even when they’re still at the farm. How flowers are handled from farms to markets will determine how much value those flowers will give to consumers. That’s logistics.

The discretionary consumer products business Consumers have many choices when they’re deciding where to spend their hard-earned dollars when it comes to discretionary products (things they want, but don’t need.) Whether we realise it or not, that’s the business we’re operating in. The good news is, we’ve got the best discretionary product in the world to sell!

Terry Johnson, Horticultural Marketing Resources, is a consultant, trainer and featured speaker focusing on helping build consumer demand for fresh flowers. [email protected]

You can come back to me in ten years and tell me I’m wrong.

Here’s a little story to finish, about what happened in the UK wine industry over ten years.

First there was cheap Spanish plonk, gut-rot goon bags, or super-fancy French stuff. Opening a bottle of wine was a major event.

Then people got into drinking wine for fun, not for special occasions. Australia started sending the Poms its surplus wine. (Thank you!) You could get wine in every corner store. Supermarkets started selling wine to grab with your weekly groceries (and there are ten major supermarket chains in the UK.) Then supermarkets got really good at selling wine, on a big scale. They employed Masters of Wine as category buyers. They won awards.

Then independent wine shops went out of business. Then a new generation of wine shops appeared, to cater for those with more sophisticated palates than a supermarket could satisfy. People who were looking for high quality service, unusual products, rare and specialised wines, sommeliers to help them build a cellar. These wine shops can sell small batch vintages from boutique wineries that can’t supply big chain volumes. They can sell high price points without blinking. They can run tasting events and wine tours. They can sell connoisseur grapes and blends.

Now there’s a place for everyone in the market, and the UK is a major consumer of wine. Yes, the bulk is still Jacobs Creek, Hardys, Chilean $10 bottles – but the specialist market would never have happened otherwise. The Poms would still be drinking Blue Nun and Chianti in raffia baskets. On their wedding anniversary.


Most florists are familiar with the upcoming holiday rush. For your brick and mortar store, it is time you bring additional hands onboard to ensure your customers are greeted by smiling faces, and your orders are handled in a timely manner.

For your website, you need to optimise the product selections. Holidays can work to your advantage by moving new products and clearing out old inventory. However, it is easy to get trapped working in your business, not on your business.

When should you start planning?Sooner is always the better option. However, before you start executing your campaigns, it is crucial you start by planning a few vital components. If you want to stay ahead of your competition and plan for an efficient holiday season, here are some tips to help.

1. Decide on the holidays in which your business will participate: Almosteveryweekthereisatypeofholidayorspecialday;participating in all of them would be counterproductive, so you will need to choose your battles tactically.

2. Construct a promotional calendar: With an idea of what holidays you will take an active role in, it is time to start mapping things out. Organisation is critical during the holiday season to ensure your marketing campaigns are a success. A promotional calendar will help you map out dates for updating graphics, banners and content on your website, send dates for your promotional emails, dates to start and stop advertising your promotions, and when to change up your featured items.

3. Choose your ad channels: If you are too scattered, you are likely to compromise your campaigns. Some great choices include email marketing, social media, blog posts and pay-per-click.

Now that you are done with the planning, it’s time to look at some of the strategies you should employ to drive traffic to your website and store.

CombosTry combining slow-moving products with new ones. You can do thisbycreatingspecialholidayoffers;notonlydoesthisallowyouto sell your non-moving gift items, but also adds value to the money spent by your customer.

Seasonal creativeDepending on the holiday, you can remind your customers that the holidays are close using visuals like a modified version of your logo or navigation.

Digital gift cardsYou can greatly benefit from offering your customers the popular option of digital gift cards. According to statistics, twenty per cent of shoppers are likely to spend more than the face value of the gift card, which boosts your sales.

Wish listsOffer online wish lists for your customers to allow customers to save favourite items. The main advantage is that this will help you convert your first-time shoppers into loyal customers.

Web commercialsTV commercials may be costly, but web videos are easy enough to create. Keep each video short and focus on one unique strength of your business. Upload your commercial to social networks and your website, and encourage viewers to share.

Considering that you are the local florist, it is crucial that you connect with business owners and residents in your area. Businesses and residents rely on local floral shops for flowers for popular holidays such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Using the marketing ideas above will help you to not only survive the holiday rush, but to reduce stress as you are boosting sales – and profits.

Ryan Freeman grew up working “from the time I could stand” in the family flower shop, where he not only learned the ins and outs of operating a successful retail store, but he also learned to love the flower industry. In 1994 Ryan launched a career as a freelance web developer and online marketer, and over the years has also held technology training positions with Teleflora, Florists’ Transworld Delivery and McShan Abner Systems, granting him opportunities to travel all over Canada and the USA and to work intimately with florists of all descriptions.

Sprucing up your website for the holidays Ryan Freeman

www.meilland.com.au


Service Skills Australia is responsible for the development of nationally recognised floristry qualifications including the Certificate II in Floristry (Assistant) and the Certificate III

in Floristry.

In conjunction with the Australian floristry industry, we have been working throughout 2014 to revise the existing framework and ensure that qualifications reflect current skills needs and will produce graduates of a high standard. It is anticipated that the revised framework will be endorsed by government and available mid-2015.

To stay up to date and receive the monthly Service Skills Australia e-Newsletter please visit the Service Skills Australia website - www.serviceskills.com.au

Service Skills Australia is a government funded organisation that works with industry and training providers to develop and skill the Australian floristry workforce. For more information on the project please contact Liz Petrovic on 02 8243 1200 or [email protected]

Updates to national training qualifications

flowersqueensland.asn.au



discover the opportunities in the Australian cut flower and foliage industry

flowersqueensland.com.au


www.addaballoon.com.au


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JustBecauseFl wers

Putting branding to workIn the September issue of the magazine,

we featured an article about the power of branding by WAFEX Director Adrian Parsons. We continued our discussion

with Adrian to find out how the branding model is being put to work in another commercial scenario.

WAFEX has launched a new retail brand, Just Because Flowers, which is specifically designed for independent retailers, especially those new to carrying fresh flower lines or looking to simplify the process of merchandising their range.

Just Because Flowers is designed to attract customers with high visibility retail branding and unique point-of-purchase displays. It offers bigger profits per square foot with the use of compact display styles. The use of distinctive hot pink and baby pink stripes helps the brand to stand out in a busy but largely unbranded retail marketplace. Twelve

individual messages on the flower packaging encourage impulse and self-treat purchases, such as “Because it’s ok to buy yourself flowers” and “Because flowers are a no calorie treat”. The strong point-of-sale branding is carried through flower sleeve stickers, bucket wraps, price tags and a ready-loaded two-bucket merchandise unit.

Adrian says the Just Because Flowers brand was developed via a combination of both consumer and trade market research. “Using the online research platform Answer Crowd, we surveyed over 500 Victorian females aged 35 to 50 years of age to gauge their key flower purchasing motives and this feedback was pivotal in finalising the design of the brand”, he explained. He said that in addition to providing Australian retailers with an innovative, value-added branding program, Just Because Flowers will also invest in consumer promotion to help grow the retail flower category. “Annual retail flower sales in Australia remain fairly stagnant at approximately 925 million dollars per annum, and it is consumer-driven promotions such as this which can help lift the profile of fresh flowers with Australian consumers.”

www.wafex.com.au

Advertorial

www.wafex.com.au


Talking to 26-year-old Dutch freelance floral designer Dennis Kneepkens is like reading the script of a movie. In 2012, he traded the capital of Holland for a somewhat unexpected place: Kudistan, Iraq. Despite the harsh environment, the

cultural differences and the loss of his beloved father during his stay in the country, Dennis always kept his positivity and his passion for the craft.

“People don’t usually think of Iraq as a place to start new businesses, especially not one that involves high end flowers and lifestyle products”, Dennis explained. “I have a high interest in working with other cultures. Meeting new people who have a different way of living inspires me to try and think outside of the box. Even though it is not always easy, it is those new experiences that make my work more diverse and help me keep being creative.”

An Iraqi Kurdish investment company had used their Dutch contacts to find a young talented enthusiast to help with their newest project: luxury hotels. With an impressive resume that features countries such as Greece, Russia and Dubai, it is no wonder their search brought them to Dennis.

In one-and-a-half years, Dennis developed a new brand, set up a concept store and arranged the decoration and opening of a four-star hotel, a five-star hotel and a five-star-plus hotel of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels. Meanwhile, he trained a team of young Kurdish creatives during smaller projects, some of whom had never even seen a proper flower. “In Holland, everyone buys fresh flowers weekly. That is not something Iraqi Kurdish people are familiar with. It became one of the main reasonstogotothisdevelopingcountry;I wanted to enrich the Iraqi Kurdish culture by showing the people something new.

“Because of the hot climate in Iraq, there hardly is any greenery over there. During summer, the temperature rises to around fifty degrees, a nightmare for anyone who works with fresh flowers. In Iraq, power failure happens twenty times a day, and if you take a shower you can often smell the high concentration of chlorine in the water. It is all pretty basic over there.

“Despite our cultural differences, the Kurdish were very friendly. I have had some of the biggest laughs of my life over there. Besides, I got to do amazing things for someone my age. To be trusted with really high budgets and to be responsible for such big projects at my age is truly unique!”

Dennis’ achievements and adventures will not stop there. “Asia and Northern America are high on my bucket list, but I guess I’ll just have to see where life takes me.” Dennis concluded the conversation with a final thought: “One of my fondest memories was when my colleague ran after an impoverished six-year-old girl who had been staring at the flower pieces we were unloading for a hotel. The intense joy on her face when my colleague handed her a single rose will always remind me of why I do what I do: to make people smile.”

Adapted with permission from an article by freelance journalist Mick Stubbe, published in the August/September issue (79) of UK magazine Fusion Flowers. Photography by Mick Stubbe and Dennis Kneepkens.

www.denniskneepkens.nl

Smile in a warzone Mick Stubbe

INDUSTRY PROFILES


Some kind of wonderfulGenevieve McCaskill

Frank was determined to grow carnations after returning from service and approached six different growers for cuttings. He was refused by all except for one who had 15 carnation beds and told him to “help himself”, refusing Frank’s modest offer of payment. Five years passed and Frank managed to propagate another variety of ‘Salamanders’ and ‘Pink dittos’ after an approach by another grower selling his property for subdivision. After a year, he yielded strong and long-stemmed carnations that everyone wanted. It was on one market morning when Frank spotted the original and only grower that allowed Frank his carnation cuttings and he strolled over to him with some good news and to repay a favour.

Chrysanthemums, carnations and gypsophila became the main crop lines for the Baguleys, with Frank’s reputation gaining momentum in the marketplace. He even grew double-headed anenomes which he couldn’t get a patent on as he kept selling the flowers as he was developing. Demand soon outgrew supply and Frank and his expanding family headed north in 1966, building 31 glasshouses in Queensland. He became the first grower to grow chrysanthemum trials in Australia and a pioneer for growing mixed flowers in Queensland, formerly only known for harvesting gladioli. “I was laughed at when I moved up there and started building poly houses. I ended up with 2,000 plants, 150 of them under lights. No one else had poly houses or had grown under lights. It wasn’t long before I was getting calls to help others get set up and started and by the time I left, there were 40 growers up and running”, Frank recalls. His Queensland property also produced custard apples, mangoes and strawberries… a veritable playground for his young son Les who learnt to drive a tractor at the age of five!

Frank also propagated virus-free stock under ‘Clean Stock Scheme’, an initiative and five-year program started by the government which the industry benefitted from under Frank’s guidance. Growing his carnations under cover assisted to combat the botrytis in susceptible blooms in Queensland’s humidity and rain. With five properties and 156 people working for him, the family returned to Clayton South and where it all began to continue their flower propagation until imported lines of iris, tulips, gypsophila,

It’s a rare opportunity to gain an insight into a self-made man who has served the floriculture industry for the greater part of his life. When you meet the 92-year-old dynamo that is Frank Baguley and he takes you on a journey of his life and his world,

you can’t help but feel a sense of wonderment.

Frank Baguley started the committee for the Flower Growers Group, now Flowers Victoria, in 1968 upon recognising the need for a collective to voice represent the industry. He is a Victorian Farmers Federation Life Member and has also been awarded an Order of Australia for services to the cut flower industry and horticulture Australia- wide.

“Devoting a life-long commitment to the floriculture

industry, there is no one more compelling than a self

made man with a deep love for flowers who at 92,

still produces award winning chrysanthemums”

Renowned for award-winning chrysanthemums and virus-free stock, his love for flowers started much earlier when at the age of five, he convinced his father to allocate him his own garden bed to plant violets and poppies. As the eldest of six children, Frank worked for various flower growers in the south east of Victoria to support his family during the depression. Frank’s father developed Bright’s Disease yet he continued to toil and dig six feet into the ground of his property using shovels to recover white sand which was supplied and sold to concreters for pipe production. This was the only way to generate a form of income during the oppression of the era. His mother tended to his father as his condition worsened and he could not afford to be hospitalised. Tragedy struck when Frank’s mother suffered a fatal heart attack and his father was informed several days after the fact, only to pass away nine days later. Starting out as the sole provider for the family at 17, Frank worked two jobs to sustain his siblings, including harvesting their existing flower crops which were sold by the road. He and his family became the original roadside flower sellers. The land that they occupied had been in his family for over 100 years and in time, he was able to buy his siblings out and took over the property, planting his first crop of boronia across two acres. He was then called up to war at the age of 19 and formed part of the first beach landing in Borneo and New Guinea, receiving a Certificate of Service 1941 – 1946.

After battling malaria and hookworm in New Guinea, it was the love and support of his late wife Isabel, his childhood sweetheart and next door neighbour, who wrote to him during the war and kept him going. They married in 1946 and, as the daughter of a carpenter, she was instrumental in setting up their 10-acre flower farm. “She was brilliant my wife and did absolutely everything, even the fencing , piping and netting of our property”, Frank remembers with a smile. “She’d sink a nail in one hit as she once worked with her dad who was a builder and he taught her everything he knew”. Les Baguley


Photography: Genevieve McCaskill

chrysanthemum and carnations started to flood the market in the 1980s. In the peak of their prime trading and lead-up to Mother’s Day, there would be up to twelve pickers a day on the payroll who worked from sun rise until 10 p.m., with Isabel supplying meal breaks intermittently, and a 3 a.m. start the next morning to the market.

Multiple gold-winning displays have been created by Frank for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show since its inception 20 years ago. Frank and his son Les were also awarded a certificate of appreciation for their 40-year commitment to the industry from the Melbourne Market Authority. Les still attends the market every week. The impact of imports and the tireless 365 days commitment to flower production and their retail florist façade convinced Frank and Isabel to wind things back and lease several of the propagation houses on their property. Whilst many houses on his 20-acre property continue to be nurtured by Frank, including a rainbow spectrum of gerberas, over 82 varieties of orchids, chrysanthemums, cedum and kangaroo paw, there are two houses devoted to special interests. Isabel’s love for the tropics is presaged with an exotic glasshouse set at a balmy 22 degree temperature all year around.

Inside, the decadent aroma of gardenias swirls in the air as majestic banana palms with cascading fruit stretch to the ceiling, black mulberries drip ripely off

trees and Hawaiian guava and paw paw are set to sprout. Papaya and mangosteens are set amongst macadamia trees and pink and yellow frangipani. This living legacy to Frank’s wife Isabel was started before she passed away in 2010 and continues to thrive under the watchful eye of Frank and Les. It’s a magical world curated by Frank who seems to have an instinctive and intuitive vision for flora and fauna. “He just knows what works”, Les says, “and he always has. It’s his gift.” As the silky bantam chooks scratch the earth below, they seem very happy with their tropical environs, laying healthy batches of eggs and naturally keeping weeds at bay. Goldfish dart around a still pond with water lillies waiting to bloom beside the Chilean bell flower, which squirts sweet honey into your palm when flicked. You could be forgiven for mistaking Frank as the Willy Wonka of the garden world as he excitedly jumps on his cart to unveil the next destination, another converted glasshouse. Only that this one is recreational and a temperature controlled, fully lit bowling green to indulge his other passion, lawn bowls!

“We used to have about a dozen play here under lights on a Wednesday night, but now there’s about half of that as they are no longer standing!” Frank says. A lane is also named after Frank and his late wife at Edithvale Bowls Club, where they have been members for many years.

Time may have passed from the pulsating activity of 150 glasshouses and the production of up to 12 million flower-producing plants, but the spirited Frank continues his reign as the chrysanthemum king and has won ‘Best in Show’ for his entries at the Chrysanthemum Show in October for the last five years. Placements have included 31 firsts, 71 seconds and 4 thirds. When asked what he does to ensure his prized blooms receive accolades, he says the answer is simple: “Treat them well, and they treat you well.”

Les funds and coordinates a program in association with not-for-profit company ‘EdAble Flowers’ and Monash University, facilitating people with autism. The participants have learnt valuable life skills which has markedly increased their confidence and enthusiasm for life. Les is in awe of the participant’s development in such a short space of time. He spends three days a week educating them on picking, packing, despatch and administration of the production of edible flower varieties for high-end Melbourne restaurants supporting the program. Amongst the many varieties tended to by the group are marigolds, nasturtiums, calendulas, viola, pansies, miniature carnations and further lines of micro-carrots, kale, artichokes and herbs.

Father and son enjoying time together in the glasshouse

Frank Baguley

Chef and co-owner of Melbourne-based Brooks Restaurant, Nicolas Poelaert, has been one of the first restaurants to embrace the program and has pledged valuable support and resources to the initiative. Patrons of his restaurant are treated to the fresh produce from the farm outlined in the menu and all leave the restaurant with a carrot in hand and story tag outlining the origins of the menu and the EdAble story. “I fell in love with the project and was struck by the potential, the passion and the produce,” he said.

Presiding over nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren, there is no slowing down for Frank who routinely inspects his many acres on his cart, cursing crows and alerting his son Les to maintenance issues.

You would be hard pressed not to be charmed by the Baguley Farm, the history that precedes it and the spirited namesake with the unswerving desire to bequeath the happiness of horticulture.


Tell us a little something about yourself and your business?My name is Michelle Van Eimeren and the name of my business is Affair with George. The name always intrigues people, but it’s not as exciting once you know the origin! My middle name is Georgette, so

I thought the name was a bit of fun. Based in the Southern Highlands, with two to three staff members, we work from a studio offering flowers, design and styling for weddings and events.

How did you get started in the floristry industry?I have always had a love for design, styling and different forms of creativity, taking every opportunity that came my way to try new things and different mediums. I spent much of my early years working throughout Asia in different fields, though primarily with events. I needed something more creative and hands on, so starting out with my experience in design and event management and my love of flowers, I decided to formalise my training and study commercial floristry when I moved back to Australia.

My team and I at Affair with George have been working hard at providing florals and styling for weddings and events for the past six years, and loving every moment of it.

What style, service or feature do you offer that is unique or distinct to others in the industry?We are a custom design floral studio, working to bring our couples’ visions to life. One of our specialities is creating tablescapes with a textural focus using flowers, foliage, fruits, branches and natural elements, often supplemented with materials gathered from the surrounding area.

What has been your career highlight so far?Being asked to design and style for a couple’s most important day, seeing the joy on their faces and receiving heartfelt feedback has most definitely been a highlight for me. Some of my past brides have kept in touch and introduced me to their little ones! I have enjoyed working at so many fabulous venues and meeting some lovely, interesting people.

The business has been showcased in a number of high-profile and satisfying ways. We have graced the cover of two issues of Modern Wedding Flowers, been featured in Bride’s Diary Magazine, Wedding Celebrations Magazine 2014, Cosmopolitan Bride, Complete Wedding

Sydney, Bride to Be, Wedding Celebration and Luxury Weddings, featured on several wedding blogs and numerous photographer’s blogs, and also placed first in Tesselaars Top Gun Wedding Florist Flowers to Wear. It has been wonderful to have received such a range of acknowledgement of our professional skills.

Traveling to New York to join the Chapel Designers Conference and subsequently deciding to host a Chapel Designers Workshop here in Australia has been a particularly exciting career highlight!

The Chapel Designers group was founded by Holly Chapple of Holly Heider Chapple Flowers, in 2010. As Holly was one of the first in her field to utilise social media as a part of her marketing strategy, she had the opportunity to develop close relationships with floral designers worldwide. She created the first organisation of its kind: one that not only educates,

An affair with George

Holly Chapple demonstrating at the Chapel Designers Australia workshop hosted by Michelle Van Eimeren.

Francoise Weeks demonstrating the finer points of floral design at Hopewood House, Bowral NSW.

Michelle Van Eimeren


supports, and mentors creatives, but also encourages the individual designer to be his or her most authentic self.

I wanted to experience it for myself, so in August 2013 I booked a trip to New York and found the conference to be a fabulous experience. I met so many like-minded people and learnt so much over the three days, everything from design and business management to social media skills. Everyone was very welcoming and open to sharing ideas and chatting about their own businesses. I was very keen to bring the same experience to Australia, so I invited Françoise Weeks and Holly Chapple to head a joint workshop here. Janet and Tim Storrier were so generous in allowing us to hold the workshop in their stunning venue, Hopewood House, which is located in Bowral and was established in 1884. It is one of the most elegant and best-kept secret garden venues in the Southern Highlands.

Chapel Designers Australia was incredibly successful, with twenty designers in attendance. Holly and Françoise shared techniques of some of their well-known designs and business strategies and the attendees have started to network and create new relationships within the industry. It has been a fabulous experience for all and I sincerely hope to do something similar again in the near future.

Where do you look for new inspiration and ideas?I love going to open gardens and seeing all the varieties of garden flowers, shrubs and trees. If I find something a little different, I take cuttings, test how they go as a cut flower and plant some of these to incorporate into my work. I keep up-to-date with magazines and blogs to see what is trending. I just love playing with different ideas I get from nature, fashion and interior design, and the challenge of making them work.

Do you find the need to network and share your experiences with others in the industry?Working in a floral design studio for weddings and events can be a little isolating at times. I believe that we all benefit from interacting with others in the industry. There is a true camaraderie with like-mindedindividuals;itissosatisfyingtochattoothers who understand what you do, the pressures, challenges and achievements.

I believe that we all continue to learn and develop our skills throughout our careers. There are many talented designers in Australia offering workshops throughout the year. There just seems to be a lack of a support network. After visiting the Chapel Designers we became part of an online forum where the discussions and support continues, and this has been invaluable. The designers in the US that are part of the group actually travel around to

help each other out on different occasions. It would be lovely to see something similar happen here. There are designers from all around the world joining the Chapel Designers and it really makes the world a smaller place.

With the pleasure that I feel when bringing a room of people together to share knowledge, and seeing the joy, sense of achievement and mind full of ideas that leaves with each student, I can’t help but want to continue facilitating these opportunities.

How do you market and promote your business, products and services?I advertise in magazines and online directories, submit my work to be featured, and have participated in expos. Social media has been a powerful tool and I try to keep up with the different forms.

What makes your job rewarding?It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of getting the job done, working out the details and ordering. I like to stop occasionally and remind myself of the responsibility we have in designing and styling a couple’s most important day, not to mention the investment they have made. For the majority, this is the one day they have to celebrate with loved ones at the beginning of their journey together. It is important to get it right, not only for the client but as a collective with the other vendors involved for that day, to make the event a complete success.

To see my brides’ emotions when I deliver their bouquets, or see them arrive at the venue for photos and the joy in their faces when they see the completed room, makes me grateful for the work that I get to do. This is further consolidated by the positive feedback from fellow vendors and lovely messages sent from my couples. I also enjoy a smooth set up, seeing new combinations that I love and knowing that a new design idea worked well.

What is your favourite flower?This is actually one of the harder questions! I love all flowers and foliages. The diversity of product available is fabulous, especially when I went to the New York flower market. I dream of going to Aalsmeer one day, as I have heard how amazing it is.

If you were to twist my arm, I would have to list a couple of favourites. Big, fat, scented garden roses, perfect peonies, bleeding hearts from my garden, delicate and pretty anemones and ranunculus, happy and colourful poppies, unique flannel flowers… I have trouble stopping! I almost feel guilty in not mentioning more, as I do love them all.

www.affairwithgeorge.com.auwww.chapeldesigners.com

Holly Chapple demonstrating at the Chapel Designers Australia workshop hosted by Michelle Van Eimeren.


Farming with a pioneering spirit

Orchids are picked and moved by monorail to the pack shed where they are graded and packed into boxes for shipment overseas.

I left Zimbabwe with my husband Kane and our two small boys in November of 2000. It was a year well remembered for tough decisions, close encounters with Mugabe’s war veterans, harassment and change. We had to leave farming in the country

we loved and grew up in and go through the process of applying to immigrate to a new country, New Zealand. It is a year that always reminds us to treasure what we have here and now, since everything can be taken away in a moment. We regard ourselves as fortunate that we were able to leave Zimbabwe and start afresh when others are left in a country where corruption and a gun is king, and the vulnerable and poor are used as pawns in a bigger picture of power and greed.

“Networking through social media has been a great

tool, linking our love of orchids with the sharing of

ideas on their use in floral arrangements.”

When our residency came through and we got a job offer in Northland, I remember sitting at my desk in the lounge Googling ‘Whangarei, Northland’, and finding out that the town had an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an international rugby stadium and a population of 70,000. Not bad, I thought! We might actually watch an All Blacks game live! We thought about starting a small business, like a hardware shop perhaps. What we didn’t realise was that we knew nothing about how business works in New Zealand compared to Africa. For example, there are three different power companies and a choice of telephone companies, and the New Zealand economy does not run on cheap labour and mass production. I have found it to be a steep learning curve to get used to living and working in a new country, including the need to qualify for a kiwi driver’s licence at the age of 33, (a nerve-wracking experience), since the Zimbabwean licence is only valid for a year in New Zealand.

After a year of settling in, we started looking at a business to buy. A property agent took us around to a few horticulture businesses. Once we walked into an orchid nursery in full bloom, we couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the flowers and we knew it was an industry in which we wanted to be involved in. With two small children under three, starting a new business was an adventure and challenge. The first year we broke even, and the second year we expanded. We built up the varieties year by year, improving the stock and working towards varieties that were in demand and unusual. Part of our journey was building friendships with our mentorsalongtheway;successfulorchidgrowerswhosharedtheir growing skills with us and helped us understand the necessary sprays and applications required to grow good quality orchids. It always helps to keep the passion alive and to work off the energy of others.

Growing orchids is no small feat. It requires attention to detail and dedication to ensure all the flower stems are straight and packed out well, and making sure that all the boxes are ticked along the way means the season is full of long days, in preparing the crop

Kane and Gail Matthews started Pioneer Orchids in 2001 as a small cymbidium orchid growing enterprise. The business is now four times the size and is highly regarded for its range of orchid varieties developed in New Zealand and sourced from Australia. Gail spoke with AFI magazine about the challenges of developing a new business in a new country.


Farming with a pioneering spirit

Liquidseal – the global scene

If you have purchased roses recently that seemed to last a lot longer than normal, either locally produced or imports, then you have almost certainly experienced the benefits of Liquidseal.

Launched commercially into the international cut rose industry two years ago, the product has become a key factor in vastly improved profitability and substantially reduced product losses for its growers and their many supply chain customers who now count amongst them Sher Group, the world’s largest rose grower. In Australia, Boon Roses have been strong advocates of the product since its initial launch.

Speaking in Melbourne Mr Angus Calder, Managing Director of Liquidseal Asia Pacific distribution says global growth in use of Liquidseal by rose growers has been remarkable. This season Liquidseal’s rose grower base already includes 40 of the largest growers in Ethiopia and Kenya, a similar number of major growers in Colombia and industry wide adoption of the treatment by South Korean and Japanese growers coming into their winter botrytis season following substantial commercial trials there in both countries through last year.

Applied to the cut bloom and acting as a fine artificial skin invisible to the eye, Liquidseal’ s patented coating acts to regulate metabolism of the flower while also providing a slow release mechanism for biocides such as fungicides. Its rapid uptake by African and South American growers has been in response to both its ability to increase vase life to as much as 4 weeks, transit losses reduced from one third of production to as little as 1% and the ability to do away with existing toxic treatments.

“Globally our customers report that florists are demanding treated product once they discover the quality benefits, reduced loses and positive customer feedback”, Mr Calder said.

Liquidseal is available in Australia from Swan Hill Chemicals. For further information contact Swan Hill Chemicals on 03 5032 9255 or Geoff Raymond on 0428 524 537

Advertorial

JayJay - early green variety breed from Kiwi Orchids New Zealand

and then marketing the product through the flower exporters. We provide a range of orchid varieties which were developed in New Zealand, and also some that are sourced from Australia.

“Growing orchids is no small feat. It requires attention

to detail and dedication…”

In 2008, we experienced one of Northland’s July winter storms. We had gale force winds and heavy rain, with trees falling everywhere and serious flooding. Power cuts for 48 hours meant that our heating system could not run, leading to botrytis and high humidity damage in the flowers. We lost 30,000 stems and vowed that that would never happen again. We now have a 35kw generator that can keep us running no matter what! The latest storms that hit Northland in July brought a wind that blew for three solid days. This was a major test for our flower sheds, with winds gusting up to 140-160 km an hour and a dumping of 360 mm. Then the worst happened: losing a roof in the middle of the season, with a shed full of flowers. The wind had been blowing hard all day, and the shed was creaking and the side vents slapping around with the pressure of the battering. It took great efforts from the whole family to battle with loose plastic in high winds for hours in the middle of the night, and then again over the next two days as the storm continued to run its course. I cannot believe we managed to get the roof back on in such bad wind. We are officially a family business in more ways than one.

Networking through social media has been a great tool, linking our love of orchids with the sharing of ideas on their use in floral arrangements. Facebook is wonderful to connect with new friends, and Instagram is full of ideas and talented people. Building relationships and growing consistent quality is the cornerstone of our business. We joke with each other that when we are eighty years old, we will still be picking orchids and racing up and down the pathways in our disability scooters. The cymbidium orchid is the king of orchids.

Kane picking our pink called Keen (breeding from Bryants orchids)


The increasing challenge of sourcing available and reliable casual labour has prompted growers to seek the help of backpackers. Most backpackers are young, enthusiastic and confident enough to undertake any challenge. Those who

are able to seek and find work and to locate a rural Australian property show that they have some proficiency in English and are endowed with a level of organisation and initiative.

cities, the agencies often recommend membership of WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms). The WWOOF scheme involves a backpacker working four hours per day in return for food and accommodation. In reality the conditions are flexible;thehostfarmdoesnothavetobeorganicandthehoursof work are negotiable. The scheme was set up to give young backpackers (under 30 years old) a taste of rural life and Australian culture. I tried to provide two of them with a taste of Australian culture by playing tapes of Slim Dusty and Queensland opera stars. I came back to find them with things sticking out of their ears, plugged into heaven and oblivious to my attempt at injecting culture into their lives.

The majority of working backpackers come to Australia on one-year visas. They can qualify for a second year visa by working on a rural property for 88 days. The government requires a minimum number of hours worked per week to qualify for the visa. Proof that the backpacker has worked the required number of hours is through the host’s signature on a certificate of employment.

Some hosts will only sign the work certificate if the WWOOFer works a full week in return for food and accommodation (no pay). This is similar to the ‘volunteer’ programme that Israel uses to recruit international workers for their kibbutz. More broadly, there has been increasing reports of backpackers being paid below the minimum wage and charged excessive rent for substandard accommodation. In contrast, there is anecdotal evidence that farmers will sign backpacker’s work certificates in return for cash.

Overall, backpackers have a very good reputation and they often provide an alternative and entertaining view on life.

Harry Kibbler grows a variety of wildflower crops in his New South Wales business, Adei Wildflowers.

Employing backpackers on the farm

Harry Kibbler

Naomi Suk (aka Usain Bolt)

Belgian backpackers enjoying some Australian sunshine (sunscreen supplied)

The concept of a backpacker as a free soul, burdened with only a few essential possessions and travelling the world on a whim is a distant reality. Backpacking is now a well organised industry for future junior business tycoons. They have enough electric gadgets in their numerous ports to open a Dick Smith store. However, their attitudeshavenotchanged;travellingisstillanadventureandthey are open to new experiences. I have been lucky in that all the backpackers who worked with me have had a strong work ethic. In one case, I worked alongside two backpackers in order to set the pace, but after a while I realised they were slowing down so that I could keep up with them. I was probably confusing my ambitions with my capabilities.

An increasing number of backpackers arrive in Australia through agencies based in their home country. For a fee these agencies organise the initial accommodation, tax file numbers, provide a mailing address in Sydney and assist when problems arise. For non-English speaking backpackers, the agencies run or organise courses in English. As an aid in finding work outside the capital


John Jones

I was in the floristry business for 37 years, and I have been a witness to various changes in the industry since the early years of my career. As a young florist, I was told that I should not buy my

flowers directly from the grower. It was considered that the proper flow of action was for product to move from the flower grower to the wholesaler, and from the wholesaler to the florist. It was much the same with sundries, which were only sold to florists and never to the public.

Now, things have changed. Wholesalers sell to chain stores, roadside sellers and the public. Their attitude towards the florist is that it’s too bad, this is the way of things, and we all have to make money somehow. Some wholesalers have a fishbowl on the counter for people to leave their business cards to enter a lucky draw, and a look at these can be a real eye-opener in terms of the diversity of businesses represented by the people who go into these warehouses. The situation is much the same with the sundries wholesalers, where anyone from the street is allowed in to buy that block of foam, bowl or ribbon.

“This is the worst I’ve seen it, with everyone trying to

grab their piece of the cake at the expense of others

in the chain.”

What is to become of the flower and floristry industry? This is the worst I’ve seen it, with everyone trying to grab their piece of the cake at the expense of others in the chain.

I feel that there was something to be gained from the recognition of each part of the flower supply chain of years ago. It supported the professionalism of our industry, and ensured that each component of the flower-selling business was given the financial return that it deserved. Consider buying a TV or fridge. As a member of the public, can you buy these items at the wholesale level?No;thereisadefinedchainofactivityleadingtothesaletothe consumer, and each step in the chain along the way is represented by people who have skills in providing that particular product or service.

It needs to go back to being this way again for our industry. It’s not rocket science, and yet speaking as someone who was once in the industry - it’s the only way that you all will survive. Every sector of the chain needs to think about the value in retaining a specialised chain of products and services, and needs to see that by supporting the chain, they will support the reputation of the entire industry. If this doesn’t happen, then the trend will continue of each section doing their best to survive and only being in it for themselves. And frankly, if that be the case, it will be time for florists to go back to the growers to come up with better deals

just to survive the chain stores and, dare I say it, the wholesalers. And they will also need to buy all their sundries from cheap chain stores, such as one store where nothing is over $2.80 and there are breakfast bowls which would nicely take a half brick of foam.

Having said this, there are some good wholesalers out there who don’t deal with the public and who provide specialised products. For example, there is a sundries wholesaler who will make a colour wrap requested by a florist, even printing the wrap with the shop name. You will have to buy a bigger quantity and pay for it up front, but that’s okay as you will use it all and they will hold the paper in their warehouse until you need it. Ideas such as this can elevate the quality of your work and give your business a point of difference. It is just one example of the benefits that can be gained from maintaining strong relationships throughout the flower selling supply chain.

Now that I am retired, I have the time to walk around and check out what the florists are doing. There are some beautiful shops taking the lead, with not too many cardboard boxes (my pet hate) and the use of beautiful flowers. Shops filled with orchid plants and romantic flower arrangements in glass and ceramics are currently all the go. The only thing that the chain stores have on their side is cheapness and ordinary flower types, whilst the florist shops have quality and the latest flower varieties. Florists have to keep ahead of the game and always be inventive and creative. If the chain stores and other retailers start to copy you, then move on to the next idea. Always retain a point of difference. This is also true when comparing between florist shops;Ihavenoticedlatelythatalotoffloristsarewrappinginwhite paper with a black-and-white striped ribbon. If everyone is doing it, there is no point of difference and it is time to move on. Remember that by demonstrating what makes your products and services special, you are educating your customers about their value and also about the value of all the parts of the chain involved in creating them.

With the way the industry is currently going, looking after number one will become the only way to survive, whether you are a grower, a wholesaler or a florist. But if the industry collectively saw the value in respecting the supply chain, then each part could do better at suppling unique, high quality products and services. As each sector lifts its game, the whole chain will be supported and the ultimate result will be better quality at the consumer end. The smart consumer will notice that quality - and will happily pay for it.

John Jones has been an award winning florist in Queensland for over 40 years, and also a past president and International Director of Interflora.

John is very happy to receive feedback via [email protected]

Valuing the flower selling supply chain

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS


I started out as a competitor in the early stages of my career in floristry. In the exciting world of competition, I encountered a wonderful atmosphere, an effective learning arena, and friends who were to stay with me my whole life. I have learnt a lot over

the years, first as a competitor and then as a judge of the work of others. There are a number of elements common to all floristry competition, and by remembering these and remaining focused on what the judges are looking for, you can increase your chances of success.

“…your day-to-day floristry is all much like a

competition… with the customer as the ultimate judge.”

In any competition, the entrant will receive a brief or task, and the primary assessment for the judges is to determine whether the task has been achieved. An example of a task might be to prepare a foyer arrangement. When assessing the results at the completion of the competition, the judge goes back to the question that was first asked and considers whether the contestant has really nailed the brief. The judge will also look for the elements and principles of design, including space, line, colour, form and texture. Judges look for how these are expressed in the work and how they are used in contrast, harmony and repetition. For example, a circle of flowers which is then placed into a circular dish might not work, with too many repeating elements. The work produced may also need to have a commercial application, as in the case of Interflora competitions given that Interflora is a commercial relay organisation. Within the context of commercial application, the economy of flower use is another important feature. For example, did the participant use ten roses in a design when they could have used five? So, the contestant must always keep in mind the original requirements for the piece, as well as the way the final result comes together as a demonstration of workmanship, technique, design and suitability.

A new category has been introduced to the Interflora competition for the first time this year, called ‘technical difficulty’.

One key element in assessing the technical difficulty is the time taken to complete a task. If two hours are provided to complete an arrangement, the judges will look to see what the competitor has managed to come up with in that allotted time. Time and working efficiently are important elements of all professional floristry, and the competitor should consider whether enough application of technique has been demonstrated in the time provided. In my classes at Padstow College, South Western Sydney Institute, TAFE NSW, I teach the basic elements of floristry and design, and we also give the students an idea of the time that it should take to complete their work. There is an ‘industry time’, which is a realistic time they should expect to take to complete an arrangement in a business or commercial setting, but we also provide an assessment time, which takes into account the fact that they are still learning.

In the last issue, we heard from John Jones about the significant benefits that a florist can gain for their business through competitive floristry. We now continue the conversation with award-winning floral designer David Berger. David is a full-time floristry teacher at South Western Sydney TAFE in Padstow, a national Interflora judge and a national competition coordinator, writing the schedules for the annual district and national Interflora competitions. He was also an international guest judge at the 2014 Asia Cup in Japan, judged and wrote tasks for World Skills and has mentored competitors for the International World Skills competition. In this article, David provides a unique insight into the expectations and challenges of competition, and explains why it can be both personally rewarding and professionally productive.

Flourishing in competitive floristry


We have a great history of promising students having success in competitive floristry. In the last World Skills Australia Regional Competitions in Perth, the Gold Medalist was from Padstow. The entire Certificate III class was entered into the WildFlowers Australia 2014 Floristry Competition, which helped the students learn about the versatility, availability and beauty of Australian-grown wildflower products. As part of the process, we set up a photo booth in class which provided an effective group learning experience. High-quality photography is such as important aspect of professional floristry, which is reflected in the option of an elective unit in the Certificate IV class on producing digital images.

At the Asia Cup in Japan, I was one of six judges. The highest and lowest marks in any of the competition categories were culled to reduce the chance of bias, a process which is not done in the Australian competitions. The competitors supplied their own flowers to develop arrangements under three themes: a Designer Choice category called ‘My Brand New Style’, a table display called ‘Tea Time Over Exquisite Moment’ and a floral couture body decoration, ‘Endless Harmony’. To complete each of these three major pieces, the entrants had a working time of two hours, one-and-a-half hours and three hours, respectively. In the case of the floral couture, the three hours pre-prep was followed by thirty minutes to complete the work on stage in front of an audience of around one thousand people.

There were also two ‘surprise items’ in Japan, where the participants were given a deadline to complete the work and were only allowed four things on stage: scissors, a knife, pliers and a hand towel. Although their tools were limited, the creativity and diversity on display certainly wasn’t. Some wonderful pieces were prepared in just forty minutes under the theme ‘Exquisite Bride’, and in fifty minutes for the theme ‘Wind Stream Through Asia’. Australia’s Mark Pampling took out the top prize for the latter, using his impressive talents to create a real sense of the movement and feel of wind blowing through the flowers.

From a judge’s perspective, one of the most challenging parts of competition is simply in deciding who the winners will be. There is so often an extremely high standard, and the competitors can get disheartened if they are not chosen after all their hard work. Buttheymaynotrealisehowcloseitcanbe;sometimesonly 20 marks out of 1000 is all that separates first and fifth place. As a judge, it is a delight to be surrounded by inspiring, burgeoning talent, but also challenging to witness the disappointment that can come with competition.

“…the competitor should consider whether enough

application of technique has been demonstrated in

the time provided.”

There is no doubt that the world of competitive floristry is a challenging one. It is stressful to put yourself in front of your peers, and put your work and skills up to scrutiny. However, competitions are a way of life for many high profile designers. For those with a passion for floristry, competitions are a way to grow and test their craft, offering either a great learning curve or a confirmation of their skills.

When you think about it, your day-to-day floristry is all much like a competition. Your customer places an order, or gives you a brief, and it is up to you to fill it as effectively and efficiently as possible, with the customer as the ultimate judge. You must keep yourself up-to-date and make sure your knowledge of trends, products and techniques is current, which is critical for both competition as well as to satisfy your paying customers. If anything, a competition brief gives you more instruction and specific direction than your customers do every single day in your business. So, if you haven’t done so already, consider getting involved in competitive floristry - you might be surprised at what you will gain from the experience.

'Wind Stream Through Asia' designed by Australia’s Mark Pampling.


RESEARCH

Winning with WaterFind Us On Facebook

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As our readers will be aware, over recent months the Flower Association of Queensland Inc. (FAQI) has been

looking at the data on cut flower and foliage imports in comparison to the domestic production sector. Statisticians from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) have helped with analysis of the data, the majority of which was collected from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

A range of interesting project outcomes have been collated, which will be shared over coming issues of the magazine as well as in other industry materials. A first look at the results is illustrated in the graph shown at right, which shows the total value of imported flower and foliage products compared to the total value of all Australian production. The value for imports is known as the ‘customs value’, which is used by the ABS as the prime valuation method for international import statistics, and is the value of the goods at the point of containerisation (in most cases) or the port of shipment (free on board), or at the customs frontier of the exporting country. The value for Australian production is the total gross value at the farmgate of all product produced in Australia.

It can be seen that imports have been increasing year by year, confirming suggestions made recently by a number of industry commentators. However the graph also shows that the total value of imported product remains comparatively low, when considered within the context of total Australian production. For the 2012/2013 financial year, the total value of imported product represented just 11% of the total value of product that was produced or consumed in Australia. This was an interesting finding and one which will be discussed further as we continue to explore the project outcomes and discuss the issue of flower imports in relation to the Australian industry.

Of imported and domestic product combined, 89% is Australian grown.

The graph also illustrates the problem of incomplete or missing data, as seen in the lack of information for Australian gross value for the 2009/2010 financial year. In this instance, the ABS provided only a collective value for nurseries, cut flowers and cultivated turf, whilst for other periods separate data for each industry was available. This presented a challenge throughout the project and indicated the need for the Australian industry to pursue more comprehensive information on cut flower and foliage statistics in future research.

These and many other findings will be examined as we continue to explore the project outcomes. In particular, the data on floral imports will be considered in more detail, including a closer look at the increase in imports over time, the relative value of different flower commodities, and the countries of origin of imported products.

Data on the cut flower and foliage industry is available by contacting the ABS or by searching the website, www.abs.gov.au

This project was carried out with support from Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL).


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Where all the flowers are from: first results



Industry Biosecurity Plan update

Plant Health Australia’s new program manager leading the Biosecurity Planning and Implementation team is Alison Saunders. She has prior experience in working with

the Australian Wildflower Industry R&D Program, so was pleased to learn that biosecurity planning for the cut flower industry was amongst the first work that she would undertake in her new role.

Alison has worked closely with a wide range of industries over the past twenty years and often in the biosecurity sphere, most recently assisting industries in their response to the myrtle rust incursion.

As outlined in previous issues of the magazine, development of the Cut flower Industry Biosecurity Plan is underway. Advice was sought from the industry when establishing the list of important commercial species for the plan: roses, waxflowers, lisianthus, Peruvian lilies, baby’s breath, chrysanthemums, moth orchids, lilies, carnations and gerberas.

Developing a biosecurity plan is important because it will enable the industry, government and other relevant stakeholders to:

• determinepestsofhighestpriority

• analysethe risks they pose

• putinplacepracticesandproceduresthatwouldrapidlydetect an incursion

• reducethechanceofapestbecomingestablished

• minimisetheimpactifapestincursionoccurs.

Plant Health Australia is pleased that the industry is taking these steps to secure their future through good biosecurity practice.

Anyone interested in contributing to the planning process can contact Alison Saunders, T: 02 6215 7739 or E: [email protected], or contact the Australian Flower Council via Denyse Corner, E: [email protected].

Grower study tour cancelled

In the last issue of the magazine, we called for expressions of interest to join a grower study tour to the

Northern Territory to visit researchers and local growers of tropical orchids, heliconias and gingers. Growers from the southern and eastern states were looking forward to visiting their northern counterparts to view the many species and countless cultivars of heliconia that grow so well in the tropics.

Unfortunately, we have had to cancel the tour. During the planning stage we found that growers had few plants in the ground during winter, and sadly, grower numbers have diminished despite many years of government research and industry development support. The industry has also, for some time, been facing some serious challenges with high transport costs, fuel tariffs and a lack of skilled workers which has contributed greatly to the diminishing grower landscape.

Thank you to everyone who contacted me about the study tour and I look forward to you joining us on another tour in the future.

[email protected]

www.powerplants.com.au


The Queensland cut flower and foliage industry’s Winning with Water project is part of the Rural Water Use Efficiency - Irrigation Futures (RWUE-IF) initiative, designed to help irrigators make better use of their on-farm water supplies

through efficient irrigation system design and management. It also helps irrigators reduce the energy consumption associated with their pumping applications.

RWUE-IF is a partnership between the Queensland Government and major rural industries, where the government provides financial support to support industry groups in providing services to irrigators. The Flower Association of Queensland Inc. (FAQI) implements RWUE-IF via a program of assessments on irrigation and pumping systems to determine their efficiency and to identify where water and energy savings can be made. In consultation with growers, the FAQI team collects valuable information on ways to improve water and energy efficiency and delivers it to industry through workshops, field days, fact sheets and web-based tools.

The project team has been continuing to visit growers to collect data and offer hands-on assessments and advice. The consultation process has been aided by the Cost and Profit Calculator, a resource developed by the Flower Association of Qld Inc. (FAQI), which estimates the financial impact of potential improvements in water and energy use.

‘Like’ and follow the ‘Winning with Water’ Facebook page for the latest news, or contact the project team at FAQI for more information.


Efficiency project powers ahead

During the design and assessment of pumping systems, one of the factors that must be taken into account is the effect of cavitation on pump efficiency. Cavitation is a phenomenon where, under certain conditions, vacuum

bubbles are created within the pump, leading to increased pump damage and decreased efficiency.

During the RWUE-IF project, a pump was assessed which was being used to fill a tank. There was no flow restriction in the system, so the pump was pumping at the upper limit of its capacity. This set up conditions suitable for pump cavitation, and it was assumed by the grower the bubbles that could be heard were air bubbles. As part of the assessment, the pump was first run under the usual operating conditions. The outlet pressure measured was 330 kPa, and the flow rate 5040 L/hr. It was found that these measured points didn’t match the pump curve, due to the effects of cavitation. The delivery tap was adjusted until the pump started to run more quietly, and then a second test was conducted. During this test, the outlet pressure measured was 420 kPa and the flow rate 6480 L/hr. When the pressure and flow rate was compared to the pump curve they matched exactly, showing a significant improvement in performance and reduction in the energy costs of pumping.

Learn more about cavitation and the physics of pump operation by Lex McMullin on the ‘Current Projects’ page of the FAQI website, www.flowersqueensland.asn.au

A case study in cavitation


A Christmas gift for you!

Slow Flowers by Debra Prinzing

Like the economies of many industrial nations rooted in agriculture, over the years the U.S. has become increasingly foreign-dependent on many products and commodities.

And while few consumers were even aware of it, the domestic U.S. cut flower industry also become foreign-dependent.

The numbers are simply staggering. Since the enactment of the Andean Trade Preference Agreement in 1991, which lifted most duties on imported flowers from South American countries including Colombia and Ecuador, the pendulum swung far: Approximately 80 percent of cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported.

We shop at supermarkets where every piece of fruit or vegetable bears a plastic sticker identifying its country of origin. At Valentine’s Day, arguably the largest “floral holiday” in the U.S., lovers give roses imported from countries where environmental and labor regulations are nonexistent or less stringent than required of domestic flower farms.

As a garden writer, I began documenting stories of intrepid U.S. flower farmers, motivated by the fact that 74 percent of U.S. consumers do not know where their flowers come from, but 58 percent say they would purchase American grown blooms if given a choice.

I’ve written two books, The 50 Mile Bouquet: Seasonal, Local and Sustainable Flowers (St. Lynn’s Press, 2012) and Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets From the Garden, Meadow and Farm (St. Lynn’s Press, 2013). I produce and host “The Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing,” a weekly show about farmers and florists, and I created Slowflowers.com, a free, nationwide, online directory to American flowers - and to the people who grow and design with them.

It has been an exciting journey, as I’ve met established (and thoroughly American) third-and fourth-generation flower growers, as well as new farmers who are leaving cities and seeking an agricultural way of life. Together, on more than 1,500 flower farms in all 50 states, these people are revitalizing the domestic cut flower industry with fresh, seasonal, local and high-quality flowers, foliage and botanical design elements. They’re aided by an ever-growing attitude in the marketplace that values “local” products, a concept rooted in Europe’s “Slow Foods” movement, expressed in the artisanal, farm-to-table culinary scene. We’ve elevated chefs and their suppliers -- artisanal farms, ranches, dairies, orchards and gardens -- to rock star status here in the U.S. Similarly it’s my goal to elevate floral designers and the American flower farms from which they source.

Recent research by Kierstin DeWest of Conscientious Innovation, a sustainable marketing firm based in Vancouver, B.C. (Canada) demonstrates that North American consumers value “local” above other sustainable topics like “organic” and “global warming.” To me, that’s because of the deep concern about employment rates, keeping jobs onshore rather than seeing them outsourced, saving local economies and reducing the transportation footprint of all that we consume.

The renaissance of American flowers is not a trend, but a cultural shift. It’s all about conscious choices - and transparent industry practices that identify the origins of a flower, an arrangement, a bouquet or a boutonniere.

Debra Prinzing is the founder and creative director of Slowflowers.com

[email protected]

Merry Christmas everyone! Get in the festive spirit by subscribing on-line during the

month of December to the AFI magazine or gifting the magazine using the Gift Certificate on page 17.

All new subscription entries will go into the draw and two lucky prize winners will win one of these fabulous books written by Debra Prinzing.

The Local Bouquet: saving a domestic cut flower industry

The 50 Mile Bouquet by Debra Prinzing

Debra Prinzing

BOOK REVIEW


NEWS OF THE WORLD

Wageningen UR played an important role in the progress of the Dutch greenhouse horticulture to the technologically advanced sector that it is today. It has established a research centre in Bleiswijk, right in the heart of the Dutch

greenhouse production area to be in close proximity to the growers. According to Sjaak Bakker, Business Unit Manager of

Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture, “It is not only importanttobephysicallyclosetothegrowers;itisalsoimportant to get them involved in the research. Growers should tell what kind of research they need. And the researchers have to share and discuss the results with them. This is what we told our partners in Australia, because it works well in the Netherlands.”

At present, much of the research in the Netherlands has a connection with The Next Generation Cultivation. Combining the knowledge of plant physiology and the physics of the climate in the greenhouse is the essence of this way of growing, and involves dealing with light, carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity. The knowledge itself is not new, but it is used in a new, more cutting-edge way. This leads to improved efficiency, a higher level of production and better quality.

Saving energyAlready hundreds of Dutch growers are practising The Next Generation Cultivation, mostly without any extra investment but only through modifying their growing methods. For better results, some of them go further and invest in technology or a new greenhouse. Their main focus is to save gas for heating the greenhouse in the winter. This is not only for economic reasons, but also for environmental reasons. The Dutch greenhouse horticultural sector has an agreement with the government to limit carbon dioxide emissions.

Growing the Dutch way in Australia

Uko Reinders

The Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture research institute in the Netherlands is a cooperative partner in the development of a new high-tech research greenhouse facility at the University of Western Sydney’s Hawkesbury Campus. The Dutch university has introduced The Next Generation Cultivation, an important contribution to take horticulture to higher levels in innovation. These new technologies will be attuned to Australian conditions to maximise their benefits for our greenhouse production.

The greenhouse of the research facility of Wageningen UR in Bleiswijk


Australia

thinkRanunculus

To achieve this goal, the sector and the Ministry of Economic Affairs work together in the programme Kas als Energiebron (KaE, i.e. the greenhouse as a source of energy). The programme has a budget of 5 million euro per year, half of which comes from the Ministry and half from the growers through the product board, which has now been repealed. It supports research, feasibility studies and field-tested pilot projects. Many of these projects have a connection with The Next Generation Cultivation and are carried out by Wageningen UR in Bleiswijk.

“Of course the focus in Australia will be different, with cooling in the summer and carbon dioxide dosing in the summer as important features. But the method to get the best results will be the same as in the Netherlands. What we have to find out is The Next Generation Cultivation for Australia”, says Sjaak Bakker. He predicts that it will take years to get results. “This was also the case in the Netherlands. It is not a blueprint. Each crop has its own needs and conditions for the best results.”

Uko Reinders is a freelance journalist from the Netherlands.

Research about chrysanthemum Growers and others who are interested are being updated about the trials.

www.ballaustralia.com


Best in Class Congratulations to Wafex and Wafex USA –

winners of the Society of American Florists (SAF) Outstanding Varieties, Best in Class award.

Blue and Red ribbons were awarded to Wafex USA at the recent 2014 SAF Outstanding Varieties competition. However, it was the intense colour and texture of the ‘Scarlet’ Banksia coccinea that captured the attention of the judges and won the Best in Class award. The competition drew 254 entries from 34 companies. Judges scored each entry based on colour and commercial appeal, stem and foliage, bloom form & size and overall presentation. Judges evaluated specific categories offlowers;thehighestscoredentryofeachwon“Best in Class”.

Wafex was successful in writing its name into the history books by also winning red and blue ribbons for their other floral entries.

Waxflower Sarah’s Delight – Red Ribbon

Serruria Blushing Bride – Red Ribbon

Madiba Red King Protea – Blue Ribbon

expression of interestPlease register your expression of interest to be part of this important industry event by Monday 20th October, 2014.CONTACT: Adrian Parsons, WAFEX Phone: 03 8378 9900 Email: [email protected]

CalifornianCalifornia is the largest cut flower producing state in the United States with over 250 growers producing sales of over $400 million per year. Californian flower growers produce an extensive range of outdoor and protected cut flower crops.Whether you grow flowers or sell them, the Californian Flower Farm Tour will be an important event of interest to anyone in the industry.This is a unique opportunity to learn from international growers and share information and trends.

The Tour will visit :

•Largescaleoutdoorandprotected flower growing farms

•WholesaleflowermarketsinCarlsbad,LosAngelesand San Francisco

•Largescaleflowerbouquetmanufacturers

•TheUniversityofDavis Cut Flower Post Harvest Research Facility

•WorldFloralTradeExpo LosAngeles13-15March2015

Thetourisplannedfor7to10daysduration departingearlyMarch2015.

Saturday 20th December, 2014.

www.wafex.com.au


2014 AWARD WINNERS

2014and the winners are...

Koch&Co

Thank you to all those who submitted entries for our Sustainable Production and Small Florist Business competitions

for 2014. The judges were presented with quite a challenge in selecting the successful applicants from a collection of entries of such impressive quality. We are now pleased to announce the winners and runners-up of these two prestigious industry awards.

The winner of the 2014 AFI Magazine Award of Excellence for Cut Flower & Foliage Sustainable Production is Cedar Hill Plantation. The runner-up is Top of the Range Flowers.

The winner of the 2014 AFI Magazine Small Florist Business of the Year Award is Thrive Flowers & Events. The runner-up is Flowers Across Melbourne.

Sincere thanks to our sponsors Auzion Sustainable Solutions and Koch & Co. for

their invaluable support of these important awards, which allow us to recognise and showcase the high standard and professionalism in our industry.

Congratulations to all the successful entrants. We will be profiling the winners in a future issue of the magazine.

Cedar Hill Plantation’s submission focussed on the new use of technology and growing practices to grow, maintain and monitor what was previously a ‘wild harvested’ product (Umbrella Fern). The production system is very innovative and likely to have broader industry-wide impacts. The judging panel based their decision to award the prize to Cedar Hill Plantation on the market size of the product, impact on the environment (or reduction on the impact on the environment) and the likelihood that the sustainable practices developed to grow

this crop may well be adopted by other growers as the transition from wild harvested production continues into plantations. This system will result in more productive, efficient, profitable and sustainable flower and foliage growing enterprises.

Thrive Flowers & Events had some tough competition in the form of fellow contestants Flowers Across Melbourne, who were also contenders for the title. Although last year’s winners, the panel of judges finally decided to award the prize again to Thrive Flowers & Events for their very strong response to all the criteria. In the last 12 months Thrive Flowers & Events has been able to demonstrate new business growth with the implementation of many new innovative and successful business practices.

nEw soUtH walEsBlandfordia research & Extension GroupContact: Lyn JohnsonEmail: [email protected]

Grandiflora Growers Pty ltd(A group of NSW and interstate growers who support the Grandiflora brand)Contact: Paul DalleyPhone: 02 6562 7450www.grandifloragrowers.com.au

NSW Mid North Coast regional branch of wildflower industry network nsw inc.Contact: Harry KibblerPhone: 02 6567 4266Email: [email protected]

flower Grower Group of nsw (inc.)Contact: Denis SeccoPhone: 02 9606 6222Email: [email protected]

wildflower industry network nsw inc.Contact: Frank AllattPhone: 02 4567 2093Email: [email protected]

ViCtoria Flowers VictoriaContact: Genevieve McCaskillPhone: 1300 882 833Email: [email protected]: 03 9207 5621Fax: 03 9207 5500www.vff.com.au

nortHErn tErritoryNorth Australia Cut Flower GroupContact: Jan HintzePhone: 08 8988 1771Email: [email protected]

wEstErn aUstraliawildflowers Growers of waContact: Nina Foulkes-TaylorPhone: 08 9576 1011Email: [email protected]

wa Protea Growers associationContact: Tony SmallPhone: 08 9755 1147

QUEEnslandfaQi – flower association of Qld inc.Contact: Denyse CornerPhone: 07 3821 3350Email: [email protected]

Cairns fine flora (forest lace)Contact: Anne YinfooPhone: 07 4095 8636

nationalaustralian flower Council (afC)Secretariatc/- Genevieve McCaskill – Flowers Vic.Phone: 03 9207 5621Email: [email protected]

wildflowers australia ltdContact: Communications and Extension ManagerPhone: 0434 265 817Email: management@wildflowersaustralia.com.auwww.wildflowersaustralia.com.au

Protected Cropping AustraliaContact: Saskia BlanchPO Box 538, Narrabeen NSW 2101Phone/fax: 02 9939 5993Email: [email protected] australia.com

nEw ZEalandnew Zealand flower Growers association inc.Contact: Jennie BoeremaPO Box 173, Patumahoe 2344Phone/fax: 09 2364145Email: [email protected]@kol.co.nz

Industry Contacts


[email protected] 1300 764 166

üBreak down your power billüSends alerts on overuseüremote control for pumps etcüIntelligent load control ümeasures water use ümonitors solar power üSmart phone interface

Get the Most out of your Crop with the Auzion Energy Maximiser

flower ad.indd 1 14/05/2014 11:52 pm

[email protected] 1300 764 166

üBreak down your power billüSends alerts on overuseüremote control for pumps etcüIntelligent load control ümeasures water use ümonitors solar power üSmart phone interface

Get the Most out of your Crop with the Auzion Energy Maximiser

flower ad.indd 1 14/05/2014 11:52 pm

TRADE DIRECTORY

ProPaGation sUPPliErs

ProPaGation aUstralia Pty ltdCarnations CHrysantHEMUMs GyPsoPHila astErs daHliasGErBEra solidaGo liMoniUM dElPHiniUM alstroMEria

For our current cut flower catalogue pleaseContact us by phone, fax or email!Ph: 07 3803 5566 Fax: 07 3803 4670E: [email protected]

HortiCUltUrE sUPPliErs

indUstry assoCiations

4 Fresh produce available out of season4 Growing any plant, anywhere, anytime4 Producing local good food with low food miles4 Locations flexibility & improved ergonomics4 Minimal environmental impact - eco-friendly4 Reduced pest accessibility & therefore chemicals4 Converting ‘waste streams’ into ‘revenue streams’4 Reduced water, energy, fertilizer & land consumption4 Food supply solution for rapidly increasing global population4 Increased climate control4 Cutting edge high technology

The Modern Face of Horticulture

4 Not soil or climate dependant4 Professional 4 Sustainable 4 Clean

02 9907 6633 www.protectedcroppingaustralia.com

AFI magazine advertisers like to know that their ad is working!

Be sure to mention the AFI magazine when you are talking to advertisers about their products and/or services.

Do you have something to sell?

Why not let everyone know…When you advertise on this page

we will also place your ad online at www.australianflowerindustry.com.au.

Contact us to book your space on 07 3821 3350

[email protected]

PlUG sUPPliErs

Highsun Express Express

Highsun Express have all your young plant and seed requirements covered. Combine with our propagation materials for a total solution to your needs. Want Gerbera’s? Look no further, Highsun are Australia’s largest supplier of Florist Gerbera’s

Shipping all over Australia, contact us today for your catalogue.

Customer Service P 1300 137 584 E [email protected]

For further information on any of the Liquidseal products contact Swan Hill Chemicals on 03 5032 9255 or Geoff Raymond on 0428 524 537

Liquidseal for post-harvest use in roses and Liquidseal LV for post-harvest use

in red roses are now available.

A REVOLUTION FOR THE CUT FLOWER INDUSTRY

Contact:[email protected]

Got an eye for an image that represents

our industry?

send us your best shot for a chance to have your

work featured on the cover of the afi magazine.

Glassware

Stands, Trolleys & Tinware

Ceramics

Florist Accessories

Wholesaler of fl orist and grower supplies

5,000+ items onlinewww.koch.com.au

Glassware

stands, trolleys & tinware

Ceramics

Florist Accessories

5,000+ items onlinewww.koch.com.au

www.fernland.com.au

www.protectedcroppingaustralia.com

www.highsun.com.au

www.koch.com.au

www.auzion.com

www.shc.com.au

http://www.propagation-australia.com.au


Advertiser’s Directory December 2014Add a Balloon 14 & 25

APACK 9

AustSafe Super 10

Auzion Sustainable Solutions 46

Ball Australia 43

Californian Flower Farm Tour 44

Fernland Agencies 46

Highsun Express 46

Just Because Flowers 26

Koch & Co 21 & 46

Liquidseal 46 & 48

Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show 5

Power Plants 39

Premium Greens Australia 47

Propagation Australia 2 & 46

Protected Cropping Australia 46

Realtime Flowers Brisbane 7

Selection Meilland Australia 24

Sovereign Flowers of Excellence 12

Top of the Range Flowers 5

Winning with Water 38

Scan to Subscribe

Stunning Design begins with Premium Greens......

Phone: +61 7 5442 3055Fax: +61 7 5442 3044

Specialists in Native Australian Foliage

Email: [email protected] Flora Corp / Premium Greens Australia

STEEL GRASSKOALA FERN™ UMBRELLA FERN

Upcoming Events 201527-30 Jan IPM Essen 2015 - Essen, Germany www.ipm-essen.de

11-13 March world floral Expo 2015 - Los Angeles, CA www.hppexhibitions.com/floriculture/2015

25-29 March Melbourne international flower & Garden show www.melbflowershow.com.au

26-29 March Alpe Adria Australia Cup 2015 - Wels www.wko.at

7-9 April ‘Europa Cup’ floristy Championship 2015

9-11 June International Floriculture Expo - Chicago, IL USA www.floriexpo.com

11-13 June 2015 fleurop-interflora world Cup, Berlin, Germany www.worldcup-berlin2015.com

5-8 July the ais Greenworks PCa 2015 future farming Conference - Jupiters, Gold Coast, QLD www.protectedcroppingaustralia.com/Events

20-24 August V111 int. symposium on new ornamental Crops; X11 int. Protea research symposium; XV11 int. Protea assoc. Conference; Perth, WA www.ishs.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Visit our new website

australianflowerindustry.com.au

www.premiumgreens.com.au


Liquidseal for post-harvest use

in roses and Liquidseal LV for

post-harvest use in red roses are

now available in Australia from

Swan Hill Chemicals and their

appointed agents. Liquidseal for use in

crysthanemums, gerbereas and bulbs will be

available in smaller quantities depending on

grower requirements.

Producing a quantum leap in vase life

expectations for cut flowers, Liquidseal™ is a

fully biodegradable and compostable range

of polymer coatings applied via precision

spray to the flower blooms during post

harvest grading. The patented coating not

only regulates and slows transpiration and

maturation of the cut flower bloom, but also

acts to encapsulate and protect standard

industry bioactives such as fungicides thus

producing superior efficacy, demonstrated

during substantial industry trials.

By providing superior vase life including

better heat tolerance and enhanced disease

control via associated bioactives, Liquidseal™

is set to become the new benchmark in post

harvest treatment of cut flowers together

with related products for bulbs and fruit.

Registered Liquidseal™ customers can

include the ‘Liquidseal™ Treated’ logo in

their product packaging materials.

Liquidseal™ benefits include:

• Longer vase life

• Significantly reduce

botrytis*

• Reduced spoilage

and returns

• Higher heat tolerance

• Reduced losses in

supply chain

• Better vase life for end user

• Safe and non-toxic

• Biodegradable / compostable

• Unique licensed marketing logo

• Approved and recognised by Holland’s

Aalsmeer Flower Auctions for a Unique

Auction Classification

Look for the ‘Liquidseal™ Treated’

logo the symbol of

quality assurance.

For further information on any of the Liquidseal

products contact Swan Hill Chemicals

on 03 5032 9255 or Geoff Raymond on 0428 524 537

*when applied with a suitable botrytis fungicide

Introducing A REVOLUTION

FOR THE CUT FLOWER INDUSTRY

LIQUIDSEAL

PRODUCTS ARE

NOW AVAILABLE

IN AUSTRALIA

www.shc.com.au

afi magazine issue 45

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