"Stimulating creativity with diversity"

Elso Post (1954) attended Horticultural Further Education, the Master Arranger courseand the Flower Arranging Vocational College. He has been working with flowers, plants, designing and demonstrating for more than a quarter of a century. Highlights in his career have been reaching seventh place at the Dutch Championships in 1989 and supplying bouquets for Queen Beatrix and - in the more distant past - Queen Juliana.

Need for knowledge and insight

Elso Post ran a flower shop for a number of years. Nowadays his emphasis lies with demonstration work and he teaches at the Innovatie Praktijk Centrum [Innovation Practice Centre] in Ede, where he provides classes in areas which include presenting and sales skills for the Dutch flower sector. In his demonstration work for the Flower Council of Holland, Elso has gained considerable experience of Eastern Europe, Norway and Germany. "All demonstration work is fun, but working in Eastern Europe is particularly inspiring. There is an enormous need for fresh knowledge there, for information about styles and techniques and for an insight into the products available. Eastern European florists lap up knowledge."

Practical approach

Elso has no preference for a particular style of flower designing. "In demonstrations and workshops I often opt for diversity. Because a lot of different ideas, techniques and possibilities feed the participants' creativity, I try to show all sorts of things. I try to make whatever people request. Naturally I take account of specific requests from the exporter, importer or the florists themselves. I opt for a practical approach; as a group they represent the customer, who is supposed to become more knowledgeable as a result. I always try to understand the delegates’ expectations."