“Even though the economy is being hit hard by inflation, we have good reason to believe that it will be a wonderful wedding season as all venues are booked, weddings are happening midweek, etc. We don’t expect to have too much available in the open market,” says Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms.
Jose Azout at the IFTF in the Netherlands.
As agrower of fresh-cut garden roses, which are grown in the heights of the Colombian Andes, Alexandra Farms offers more than 60 garden rose varieties to wholesalers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.
In April 2022, Alexandra Farms introduced its seven newest garden rose varieties: three varieties to its Deluxe collection, another three to the Princess Japanese collection and one Wabara variety. Among these new varieties is Blanche Spr, the farm’s first white spray garden rose. Details of the newly introduced varieties can be found here.
“With our Blanche Spr, all of the flowers are at the top of the stem which is good for weddings as the blooms don’t get lost in the bouquet. We launched this last year and have been increasing production since,” explains Azout.
Picture: Blanche Spr
Increased demand for sand-colored blooms
According to Azout, Alexandra Farms has seen an increased demand for sand- and skin-colored garden roses, such as Amnesia, Caramel Antike, Menta, Quicksand, Golden Mustard, and Sahara Sensation. Westminster Abbey is the newest variety to address this demand, its blooms being light grey with a hint of pink on the lower petals. Other varieties of this theme are Miyabi Brown with pale pink and creamy, buttery tan petals, and Sola Spr, a dusty pink and sandy-colored spray rose.
“We’ve seen a demand for these tones and added new varieties to our collections. These have been a big success in Europe and the USA,” Azout notes.
Picture: Westminster Abbey
Alexandra Farms Certified Designer program already a hit
Alexandra Farms not only specializes in the production of fresh-cut garden roses, but the company also strives to educate florists, enthusiasts, and wholesalers alike on everything there is to know about these boutique roses. After having announced the launch of its Alexandra Farms Certified Designer program in partnership with floral designer and educator Holly Chapple in April 2022, Alexandra Farms has seen more than 150 students sign up to participate. The 12-module online course teaches what garden roses are, how they are bred and how they should be handled, and it introduces the collections and varieties that Alexandra Farms offers. Holly Chapple comes in on the design portion of the course, demonstrating how to use garden roses in a variety of different arrangements.
Participants who successfully complete the course can add AFCD to their list of professional certifications. They also gain access to an online forum, design recipes, special sales and discounts from floral industry organizations, and early notification of Alexandra Farms’ new varieties. More information is available on the AFCD website.
Between its newest varieties, the Alexandra Farms Certified Designer program and the busy wedding season ahead, Alexandra Farms has its hands full, and gladly so. For Azout and the whole team at Alexandra Farms, growing garden roses is a labor of love and care that is meant to be shared with the world.
For more information:
Jose R. Azout, President
Alexandra Farms
info@alexandrafarms.com
www.alexandrafarms.com