Customer recognition is the first priority

Herma Spijkerman (1955) learnt everything there is to know about the florist’s trade at her mother’s knee. When the time came, she took over her mother’s shop and added a garden centre. She trained for her trade at college and took an ADFA masters degree. Since 1995 she has worked as a freelance decorator for stands and shops. She also regularly holds workshops and gives demonstrations at the Aalsmeer wholesale centre Tica and for German customers of the wholesale import and export business in florist merchandise she operates with her husband. She has written two books for amateur flower arrangers and in 1999 her career took a further upward swing when she won first prize at the ‘Farewell to summer’ festival. Her final thesis for her AFDA masters degree dealt with floral work for reception desks and foyers. “This resulted in quite a number of useful contacts with and orders from commercial sources”.

Recognisable

In her workshops and demonstrations Herma prizes direct contact with the participants. “Technique, construction and the choice of materials are my next priorities. Arrangements must always reflect the current season. It is essential that the work is recognisable to the average consumer”.

Herma finds much of her inspiration at trade fairs. On behalf of her wholesale business she regularly visits trade fairs not only in Germany but also in the Far East (including China). “In our wholesale business we are always exactly one season ahead in terms of product development and assortment composition. This adds excitement, as we are always working with new materials a year before anyone else in the Netherlands”.

Herma  also finds inspiration in the work of colleagues like Daniel Ost and Gregor Lesch. She does not prefer a particular style. “Art Nouveau, baroque, abstract and cubist: I like them all, every style has its own strengths. Art Nouveau and baroque also allow the arranger to use more rustic materials. My personal preference is for arrangements that exude calm in their shape and structure. I love green and white. These are colours I use regularly. ‘Ton sur ton’ is another of my favourites”.

Commercial links

Herma scrutinises trends carefully. “Some are nicer than others, but I am prepared to give each trend a try. Trends and commercial interests are always linked: I keep my eye on selling potential. After all, that is what it is all about. Experimental floral art is fine in itself, but the point is to sell product. In the end effect our target group is not the small, select group of consumers for whom only the very latest trends will do. This would lose us a great deal of valuable business from ‘normal’ consumers”.