Every year again, it’s a nice piece of promotion for the Dutch flowers: Saint Peter’s Easter decoration. Thousands of roses, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are sent there, embellishing the celebrations watched by many millions worldwide. Most plants however are Italian grown, but even so a Dutch touch can be noticed. This year, most of the smaller, flowering plants were supplied by Jan van der Plas from wholesale company Flora Olanda.
“It’s the first time we supply plants to the Vatican with Easter”, Jan says. “A great, challenging job. Things are tight, plants should be hardened somewhat, so they all flower at the same moment. Of course, even though they won’t be that prominently visible as the flowers, we are very honored to supply our plants.”
A view in the Flora Olanda facilities in Rome
Company in Rome
It’s not the first assignment they got from the Vatican, Jan explains. “Regularly, at conferences with bishops and cardinals, or any other event, we get to supply plants. With last year's Christmas, we provided the poinsettias. It was a special assignment, since these plants were all hung at a considerable high. Therefore, it was important they looked nice looked upon from below. We delivered those plants in especially to this end designed pots to make this come true.
Poinsettias with Christmas
The bigger picture
Jan is based in Italy since 1988. His company delivers plants mostly to garden centers, supermarkets and landscape architects. “Whereas others, like Dutchies, pay a lot of attention to detail, in Italy the bigger picture is important. In this regard they are more imaginative. All throughout Rome balconies are filled with plant mixes, in all possible sizes and colours. Also, you see a lot of herbs, with ‘aromatica’ as they say, for smell is generally considered a very important characteristic.”
For more information:
Flora Olanda
www.flora-olanda.com