Berlin Neukölln
Wir haben Caroline in ihrer Küche in Berlin Neukölln besucht, in der sie ihre wunderschönen Blumenbouquets kreiert und in ganz Berlin mit dem Fahrrad ausfährt. Ja, egal bei welchem Wetter. Wie es dazu gekommen ist, worauf sie Wert legt und was der Blumentrend der Zukunft wird, verrät sie uns im Interview.
Would you please introduce yourself, Caroline?
C: I’m 30 years old and I’m a bike-loving flower and plant obsessive! I grew up in the countryside and I was always surrounded by plants, flowers and trees (+ dogs and cats!) so I began to learn about botany at a very early age. Both my parents are keen gardeners and we were basically self-sufficient when I was growing up (grew all of our own fruit and veg) so I’ve always had green fingers. J
Where do you come from and what brought you to Berlin?
I’m originally from Wales, but have spent the last 10 years studying, living and working in various cities including London and Buenos Aires. I landed in Berlin in early 2013 and now I can’t ever imagine leaving!
I was lured here by a marketing job at one of the big start-ups, but I’ve always had a passion for plants and flowers and a huge desire to launch my own botany-based business, so I’m grateful that Berlin has afforded me that opportunity.
And why Neukölln?
I had no idea where to live when I arrived in Berlin, but back in 2013 it seemed like everyone I met lived in Neukölln, so I found a flat here, and it suits me very well – as a lover of green spaces, living being between Templehofer Feld and Volkspark Hasenheide seems like the best place for me!
Do you like the people in Berlin?
Yes! I especially love meeting people when I make my deliveries – although I suppose people are generally at their best when they are receiving beautiful flowers…
Please tell us more about your business!
I had the business idea a few years ago, but at the time I was in a good job at a growing company and it didn’t seem like the right time to ‘take a risk’. But I found myself in a very different situation at the beginning of 2015 and so, with a lot of encouragement from my boyfriend, Alonso, I finally struck out on my own and eventually launched the website in the Autumn. So far I’ve done everything alone – building the website (with a lot of help from Alonso), sourcing the flowers, curating and delivering the bouquets, answering customer queries as well and marketing, and it’s hard, often physically challenging work but I love every aspect of it!
Where does the love for the flowers come from?
From growing up surrounded by plants and flowers. As a child I had my own little garden patch within out large garden, and every year I used to grow a vast assortment of beautiful flowers, as well as competing with my sisters to see who could grow the tallest sunflowers! I love the different smells, colours, forms and textures of flowers, and, even though I’m surrounded by them everyday, I’m continually awestruck by their beauty. Each bloom is like a little work of art and I find it hard to believe they are natural.
When do you wake up when you go to the wholesale market?
Every Tuesday I get up at 4:30 to cycle across the city to get to the flower market at 5:30 – and by the time I get there it’s already bustling and full of energy, noise and colour. It’s easy to forget it’s dark outside!
What is your favourite flower?
I’m obsessed with the colours and textures of anenomes, which are in season throughout the winter – they are so vivid and their delicate petals have a velvet feel – simply beautiful. I also love big, frilly pink peonies and find it fascinating to watch them unfurl like bright pink tulle before gradually fading to almost white.
What do you think will be the next flowers trend?
I hope people will start to think more about where their flowers come from, and consider buying German, or at least European-grown flowers wherever possible. When it comes to food we’re well versed about air miles and the benefits of buying local produce, but people seem to forget that many flowers are also flown half way around the world just so we can have exotic varieties year-round – flowers are supposed to be seasonal!
