It has become a custom that at Easter that colourful flower arrangements decorate St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, in Rome. The tradition originates from the moment in which Dutch florists decorated the square for the beatification ceremony of Titus Brandsma in 1985, and has since become a symbol of the good relationship between The Netherlands and the Vatican.
Under the leadership of Piet van der Burg – chief arranger from Berkel en Rodenrijs – flower bulb growers, cut flower growers and growers’ associations have been working hard for months to realise the Dutch floral splendour in the Vatican.
The floral décor covers more than 170 square metres of the Square with dozens of arrangements and this year, the gerbera will be the main flower. Growers’ association Summit Gerbera is donating no fewer than 3,500 large-flowered and mini gerberas in a wide variety of colours. Other contributors include Meijer Roses from Pijnacker who is making 1,200 white and purple/pink Avalanche roses available. Evanthia and FlowerXL are bringing 1,000 robust stems of matthiola StoX in 4 colours and the Zentoo Growers’ Association is contributing 600 stems of single-flowered chrysanthemums. Vreeken Bouvardia and Peelen Anthuriums offer beautiful cut varieties. N.G. Wigchert from Noordwijkerhout will be supplying richly flowering delphiniums in three colours and Tak Global, in collaboration with Coloríginz / OZ Import, adds forsythia and a wide range of cut foliage.