Anniek Siegers from Norg is the best florist in the Netherlands: ‘Glad that it finally worked out’

The shape of the flower arrangement does not come out of the blue. There are strict rules attached to the competition. For example, the frame had to consist of 75 percent plant material. “And the bouquet had to be tied parallel,” she adds. “Normally a bouquet is nice and round when you buy it, but the stems should all be straight down.”

With a nine-month-old child and my own business, preparation was not easy. That is why Siegers was toiling into the wee hours for weeks on end. “My boyfriend hasn’t been much use to me these past few weeks,” jokes the flower arranger.

As a prize, Siegers won a hotel stay for the Floral Art World Championship, which will take place in 2025 in The Hague. “Although I secretly hope that I don’t need the tickets. Because I would like to be there myself, of course,” she laughs.

Before that, she must first pass the national championship, early next year. If that is also a success, she can compete for the world title. “And then I have to make five or six works of art, so that’s a bit different,” she says. “But this was a nice taster.”

The victory has generated enthusiastic reactions from customers. “People come to the store especially for it. Then they think the bouquet is beautiful and they congratulate me. That’s great fun,” says the flower seller.

The fame also gives her a lot of extra assignments. There may be some special ones. “I once had a request from a Brazilian couple who were getting married in Norg. Then I could pull out all the stops, because they wanted everything. That was very nice to do.”

If you still want to admire the masterpiece, you have to be quick. It’s still in stores this week.

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