She reveals in this interview that at first she studied floral arrangement by herself until she decided that she needed to do it properly and enrolled herself at TAFE (in which the training lasted for two years).
The mother of two who confessed that her preference of flowers changes every season also admitted that putting up the business did not come easy for her. She recounts with SBS Filipino that in the beginning she sold the flowers for a cheaper price (lower than its price floor) because she was still building her confidence then. Few years after, she was able to establish her reputation in the floral industry and is now being sought by customers.
Van Der Meer shares to SBS Filipino that she wears a lot of hats; aside from helping in the management of two farms, running markets in Wollongong, Highlands and Goulburn, she is also the administrator of the social media accounts (in Facebook and Instagram) of the business. These roles helped her to keep on growing (which for her is important as a florist).
"It's very fulfilling when you create something beautiful because I'm working with beauty and nature. It's like a purpose, you're serving and you're providing quality flowers in a reasonable price. I try to bring flowers to everyday people," says Van Der Meer when asked about what designing flowers do to her.
The three things that she considers when she does a floral arrangement are texture, colour and harmony. The right balance of the three allows for appropriate blending of the arranged bouquet.
Van Der Meer further adds she enjoys the creative freedom of being a florist.
"Follow your heart if you like to work with flowers but experience will make you a master of your craft," advises Van Der Meer to those who wants to be a florist (like her) someday.
Find out more about her in this exclusive interview.
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