Alina Neacsa, an international event/floral designer and educator, recently collaborated with Alexandra Farms during the 2023 IFTF (International Floriculture Trade Fair) in the Netherlands. Alina and her team conceptualized and created the wonderful booth design and arrangements seen in the Alexandra Farms booth during the show. Alina has worked with our garden roses for years in Romania, where she is based, and in other locations around the world. We have been consistently charmed by her vision, knowledge and use of garden roses, and we were thrilled to partner with her this year.
The idea of working together was born during a conversation between Alina and our team during a previous IFTF show. After a visit to our farm during the fall of 2022, the idea became more concrete, and planning began.
The initial design proposal for Alexandra Farms' IFTF booth consisted of a wide floral arch that gave entrance to our booth, composed of multiple garden rose varieties. However, as Alina and her team embarked on this special mission, they opted for a swift change that altered the whole concept altogether. "Serendipity led us to transform it into a 3-meter tall wall, a decision I'm now grateful for considering the impact it had," said Alina. This wall became the main picture point at the booth, and it was a delightful spectacle of colors and textures. Mainly constructed with Princess Miyuki (First Snow), Vitality, Yves Piaget, Princess Maya (Night Rain), White O’Hara, Pink O'Hara and Café Latte, this wall was also a paradise of scents, as it contained our most fragrant roses. Additionally, the installation featured some of our dahlias and the unique shapes of Miyabi, Miyabi Brown and Princess Midori Spr (Green).
Alina and her team of 10 people also created a heart-shaped piece featuring Juliet (Ausjameson), Leonora (Auswagsy) and Purity (Ausoblige), three garden rose varieties grown by David Austin Wedding Roses, at the other end of the booth. This fun-loving and intricate design was accompanied by tall, globe-like centerpieces on tables across the space. These mimicked the volume that we're always sure to showcase in our display at the back of the booth, while also being a personal signature for Alina's design work: a colorful, bubbly and alluring arrangement that invites all by-walkers into our floral world of beauty.
During this year's event, the president of Alexandra Farms - Jose R. Azout - sat down for an interview with Alina, where they discussed the IFTF installation, the richness of garden roses, and various details about the floral market.
With a large and fragrant wall installation, an interesting play of shapes and heights across the length of the space, and a full heart of roses, the style of our booth was tied up brightly in an array of captivating colors and scents.