Ecuador Tour 2013
January 11th – 20th, 2013
 

January 15th,

Hans-Peter is such a passionate man, he loves flowers and he loves talking about them. So it was no wonder that before we even visited his fantastic plantation called Bellaflor, that we should arrange to meet him at his private property to see what was the start of a new garden for his home. This property had the most incredible view, breathtaking. We could see why he loved it. He had the property drawn out and staked for the house, which would come eventually, but the gardens are what he had the most fun with and talked us through every area, what would be grown there and how he could improve and test varieties. Everything would be watered by drip irrigation too. I have met him a few times now and am amazed at his quest for better. His mind is on so many things and is now allowed to focus on the future, rather than the mundane tasks of managing the business. He is freer now and hardly finishes a sentence because his mind is on to the next dream.

Then a short drive to Belleflor – I knew they would love this place and that they did. What a privilege to enter a private flower grower. Hans Peter led us through, showing us the offices, greenhouses full of roses and new introductions without names…we saw how plants were started, potted then fully grown and cut for the market, saw gorgeous bouquets of flowers being made before our eyes, got inside the coolers – and boy was it cool! My guests could go inside the canteen where the workers ate meals prepared for them and look around. There is also a medical center that not only looks after the workers, but their families as well. We walked down huge rows of roses in the greenhouses, sniffing and taking pictures along the way. The roses are cut and packaged right there and then and taken to the coolers. It was fun to be in the rooms where the bouquets were made. They are sure fast at it with the conveyor belts taking them directly into the coolers. We also got to see some very interesting roses that were multi coloured. Not to every ones taste but they have a use – just think really upscale nightclubs as one of the buyers. It takes 3 to 4 hours to dye each rose. The busiest day of the year is February 5th when they get the roses out for Valentines Day….over 100,000 roses will make their way to florists.

Afterwards we had a delicious BBQ along with Hans Peter and a couple of his staff. Each of my guests got a small posy bouquet to take with them.