Every flower needs a bit of ‘finesse’
Marlene has always found pleasure in working with flowers, even long before she became a sought after arranger of flowers.
In a little floral boutique tucked away in the centre of Dundee, is where you will find flower mogul Marlene Kriel doing what she does best; flower arrangements.
Marlene has always found pleasure in working with flowers, even long before she became a sought after arranger of flowers.
The Newcastle Advertiser chatted to Marlene a bit to find out more about her everlasting passion for making art out of natures most beautiful creations:
Q: Tell us a little more about yourself?
A: I was born in Ermelo in Mpumalanga. I attended Breyten Primary School and matriculated at Volkskool Carolina. My husband, JD and I met while studying to become teachers in Pretoria. We have three beautiful daughters, Ma-Rene, Lin-Mari and Dee-Mari.
Q: Does anyone else in your family share your passion for flowers?
A: Yes, both my daughters actually enjoy working with flowers. They are both very creative when it comes to compiling flower arrangements for their own homes.
Q: Where did your passion for flowers come from?
A: My love for flowers came from my grandmother who just adored gardening, so I grew up in a home where gardening was a hobby for everyone in the family.
Q: How long have you been in the professional flower industry?
A: I have always worked with flowers but I have only made a career out of it for the past 17 years.
Q: Are there any specific flowers you preferred to work with?
A: I like working with various flowers and the reason why I like variety is because each flower has its own unique beauty and you can get creative when you have different flowers to work with.
Q: What do you enjoy most about being a florist?
A: I have just always loved working with flowers; it’s like an artist creating a perfect piece of art but just with flowers.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from when creating a floral arrangement?
A: Well I draw it from walking around my garden, spending time in nature, watching flower programmes on tv, reading books and then by drawing inspiration from other flower shops. I was also privileged enough to travel abroad so I got to see what other countries do with their arrangements.
Q: What flowers are currently trending right now?
A: Roses are always a firm favourite as well as peonies (they are very scarce though). Right now, cascading with lots of greenery is trending quite a bit.
Q: What advice do you have for those out there looking to have flowers in their home, like what flowers look nice in what room?
A: It all depends on the room’s colour scheme and theme of the room but simple, classic flower arrangement in a vase is always a winner.
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Email: Reveshni Douglas (Editor) at reveshni@caxton.co.za
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