A Blooming Triumph: Behind the Scenes at IFTEX 2025

19 Jun 2025

Where do we even begin? This year’s IFTEX was not just bigger—it was spectacular, more magical, and wonderfully scented in every possible way. Our stand? It more than doubled in size. And the creativity? It blossomed beyond expectation.

We were overjoyed to welcome our dearest floral friends, Alina and Cristi, who flew in specially to lend their talents to the florals. Planning officially kicked off in November 2024, with the ever-dynamic duo Maggie and Cindy at the helm. After six years of dreaming and scheming together, these two have turned collaboration into an art form—bouncing ideas like petals in the wind.

By March, we had a plan. A beautiful one. Logistics were mapped out, materials lined up—and then, in true creative fashion, Alina had a flash of inspiration. A brand-new concept! Cue dramatic pause, followed by a collective deep breath… and back to the drawing board we went.

With a renewed vision (and slightly more urgency), the team regrouped. By April, the final design was locked in, and it was all hands on deck. Our in-house carpenter and Daniel—both incredibly patient and, let’s be honest, just a little exasperated—finally got the green light to start building. Relief all around.

This year’s theme? The Tambuzi Scented Garden—a romantic nod to the English countryside, complete with a swing seat and an elegant French dresser devoted entirely to our swoon-worthy scented varieties.

As Dan and the team got to work, I began whispering prayers. Either divine intervention or Dan’s sheer brilliance (probably both) ensured that when we arrived at the farm four days before set-up, everything looked more enchanting than we’d dared hope.

Then came the roses. With over 140 commercial varieties in our garden of delights, choosing was no small task. How many? Which colours? What about the trailing jasmine?! After some delicate negotiating, we finally convinced Alina to cap it at 3,000 stems (yes, really), and the labelling and packing frenzy began.

The day of packing was a marathon. Lynette and Cindy worked late into the evening, checking and rechecking. Poor James was probably asked 500 times if we had everything—especially the all-important cable ties.

IFTEX gifted us an extra day for setup this year—a blessing we didn’t take lightly. Daniel took charge of laying the lush faux grass and installing those show-stopping vinyl’s that turned heads. By Sunday, the floral team was in place, ready to tackle the mechanics and prepare for the main event.

Monday arrived, and with it, the moment we’d been waiting for. With a team of six (and Cindy supervising— sneakily dodging any secateur duty!), we worked a joyful 11-hour day. And oh, what a result. The stand looked nothing short of extraordinary.

When the doors opened on Tuesday, visitors were charmed, delighted, and full of compliments. The scent, the styling, the spirit—it was all there. And most importantly, we gathered a bouquet of promising leads for our sales team. A sweet success all around.

To everyone who played a part, and to all who stopped by—thank you from the bottom of our rose-filled hearts. You made it all worthwhile. Until next year…