Rose Cultivators in Bogotá Extend Invitation to 'Farm Supporters'
The winners of the 2024 Garden Rose Design Contest recently embarked on an enlightening journey to Alexandra Farms, a renowned rose grower in Bogotá, Colombia, celebrated for its commitment to sustainability and industry education.
Marcy Almoney, the winner of the Everyday Design category, expressed her excitement about touring the farm and learning about the processes that make Alexandra Farms a leader in sustainable flower farming. The farm is certified by Florverde Sustainable Flowers, a distinction earned through rigorous audits ensuring environmentally responsible production, employee safety, and guaranteed worker benefits.
The visit began with a tour of the farm facilities, which include sustainably certified operations. Alexandra Farms demonstrates leadership in sustainable floriculture by maintaining carbon neutrality through practices such as planting native trees, recycling, and converting organic waste into compost. The farm's educational goals focus on both sustainable farm operations and industry innovation.
During the visit, the winners were led through the dahlia greenhouse, given talks on composting and diversification, and saw the farm's garden rose greenhouses. They also had the opportunity to construct flower arrangements with a variety of fresh-cut garden roses from the farm.
The second day of the visit included a tour of El Jardín farm, a dahlia presentation, a rose grafting exercise, a post-harvest tour, and a fragrance workshop. The day ended with a traditional dance performance by the Alexandra Farms staff.
On the third day, the visitors were treated to a full-day sightseeing tour of Bogotá, including visits to La Candelaria and the Jardín Botánico de Bogotá.
The tours and demonstrations show the precision and care that go into every stage of production at Alexandra Farms. Dafne Gonzalez, an account manager with Sunburst Farms, found the visit beneficial for gaining insight into the farm's processes. Urban Petals CEO Anna Stouffer was particularly impressed with the farm's recycling process and spoke to the high quality of the roses. Pieter Filius, sales manager at Parfum Flower Company, was impressed with the diverse group of industry professionals who attended the tour.
Marcy Almoney described her trip to Bogotá and Alexandra Farms as transformational and a dive into the heart of floriculture. She found the collaborative nature of the rose selection process at Alexandra Farms empowering.
Photos from the visit were courtesy of Alexandra Farms. The visit served to educate emerging designers and growers about sustainable flower sourcing, handling, and design principles that minimize environmental impact, fostering broader industry awareness.
In summary, the 2024 Garden Rose Design Contest winners’ visit to Alexandra Farms centered around experiencing and learning from a leading sustainable rose farm certified by Florverde, focusing on responsible production and industry sustainability education. The visit provided a unique opportunity for the winners to gain hands-on experience, behind-the-scenes access, and insights into the intricate processes that make Alexandra Farms a model for sustainable flower farming.
- Marcy Almoney, the winner of the Everyday Design category in the 2024 Garden Rose Design Contest, was enthused about visiting Alexandra Farms, a renowned rose grower in Bogotá, Colombia, to learn about sustainable flower farming.
- Alexandra Farms is certified by Florverde Sustainable Flowers, acknowledging its commitment to environmentally responsible production, employee safety, and guaranteed worker benefits.
- The winners toured the dahlia greenhouse, were given talks on composting and diversification, and learned about the farm's garden rose greenhouses during their visit.
- Pieter Filius, sales manager at Parfum Flower Company, was impressed with the diverse group of industry professionals who attended the tour at Alexandra Farms.
- urban Petals CEO Anna Stouffer found the farm's recycling process noteworthy and appreciated the high quality of the roses.
- The visit to Alexandra Farms educated emerging designers and growers about sustainable flower sourcing, handling, and design principles, fostering broader industry awareness.
