Florist Samantha Trott (top) and model with her 2018 floral design. Image supplied.
Spring is in full bloom and to celebrate this beautiful season, New Zealand Flowers Week is hitting our shores once again from November 11 – 17, offering a week-long floral celebration of everything that is fragrant and bright. This years theme, The Power Of Flowers, will be celebrated by five New Zealand based floristry experts, who have each been tasked to create bespoke, floral arrangements that will adorn their respective cityscapes, reflective of this year’s theme.
The chosen florists for 2019 represent the floral talent that stretches the country and the varying styles that stem from some of NZ’s key regions. The five florists are: Chikako Shiraki from White Tree Floral (Auckland), Kerri Murphy from The Twisted Willow (Wellington), Kath Parkes from Mrs Bottomley’s Flowers (Christchurch), Samantha Trott from Samantha Rose Flowers (Ashburton) and Linda McKenzie from Fallow and Fox (Dunedin).
“We’re fortunate New Zealand has such a deep, diverse range of florists. Our homegrown experts are global leaders in their craft. It does, however, make choosing the five who represent the event incredibly difficult,” says Rebecca Jones, NZ Flowers Week Group Marketing Manager. “This year’s florists have gone above-and-beyond and we’re so grateful to be working with such long-standing, world-class women for 2019’s event.”
To join in with the festivities in our own way, we’ve compiled a list of some of New Zealand’s best natural skincare brands who utilise the benefits of flowers by using them as ingredients in their amazing products, here are four of our favourites.
Trilogy
Trilogy was founded in 2002 by New Zealand sisters after they discovered the powerful benefits of Rosehip Oil. Since then their brand has gone from strength to strength, garnering international recognition. All of their products are New Zealand made, certified organic, ethically produced and sustainably produced. Some of our favourite products include the Everything Balm, which includes Calendula Flower Extract, which is found in Marigold. The Vitamin C Booster Treatment, which contains Daisy Flower Extract. The Ultra Body Cream, which contains Lavender Oil and the Hydrating Mist Toner, which contains Rose Flower Oil.
Weleda
Weleda is a Swedish born company, which started in 1921 and now has gardens all over the world, including here in New Zealand in the sunny Hawks Bay. Weleda’s products are certified natural and organic and contain a vast array of beautiful floral ingredients, that are soothing for the skin. Some of their products such as the Iris Hydrating Facial Lotion contain Iris Germanica Root Extract and Calendula Officinalis Extract. The Wild Rose Night Cream features Rose Moschata Seed Oil and Evening Primrose Oil and the Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream features Pomegranate Seed Oil.
Plantae
Plantae is New Zealand’s 100% certified organic skincare brand, with the name meaning “Plant Kingdom.” Their products are naturally derived and feature beautiful ingredients, some of which are native to New Zealand. The Ivy Cleansing gel features Ivy Botanical Complex and Totoral, which is an extract from the New Zealand Totara tree and the Pacific Blue lavender Cream Cleanser features Sunflower Seed Oil and Pacific Blue True Essential Oil for a calming effect which is sourced from a Nelson-based farm.
Syrene
Syrene skincare in an Auckland based company, which started in 2016 and is known for their beautiful marine-based products. Their range includes products like the Aquagel Oil to Foam Cleanser, the Aquagel Refreshing Toner, the Aquagel Intense Cream, which features Kawakawa, apricot, avocado oil and Manuka honey and the Aqualight Moisturiser, which features Pohutukawa flower extract.
You can find out more about New Zealand Flowers Week here and see where these beautiful, floral installations will be popping up in your city.
Images supplied.