Len Alkemade graduated with a master’s degree in floral designing from a top floral school in The Hague, in the Netherlands. In 1989, he launched a floral design studio named Aurora Japan Incorporated and then became famous worldwide as the sole Japanese representative in the Flower Council of Holland and chief flower designer for the Dutch Heineken Pavilion during the Nagano Olympic Games. Len Alkemade has published lots of books on the art of flower arrangement and has coordinated flower exhibitions throughout Asia.

At the international flower arranging art show held at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi, he introduced the audience to the latest flower designs themed “Come and Feel What Calimero Can Do” that conveyed a message of cultural exchange between Vietnam and the Netherlands. Len Alkemade presented 15 flower arrangements in the main categories of wedding flowers and flower decorations for events, festivals and New Year’s according to the European style in Asian colors.

Florist Len Alkemade introduces the audience to flower designs themed “Come and Feel What Calimero Can Do”. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP Len Alkemade, a famous international floral designer, and the art of calimero flower arranging. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP Len Alkemade’s flower designs attract interest from audience. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP Calimero flowers have a unique beauty of diverse colours and longevity which make them very suitable for flower arrangements and event decorations. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP. A flower design named “Bird Nest”. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP A delicate combination of calimero and other types of flowers. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP A flower design  named “The Cake”. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP A handheld wedding flower design combining roses and purple calimero. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP A  flower arrangement by Len Alkemade. Photo: Van Quyen/VNP

The famous florist said: “Vietnam in general and Da Lat in particular is a true heaven for flowers. For a long time, flowers and flower arranging have been an essential part of the Vietnamese spiritual life, showing a delicate sense for beauty.”

Calimero is a product of the Dutch Floritec Company and is exclusively grown and distributed in Southeast Asia by Vietnam’s Dalat Hasfarm Flower Company. The small flowers have a unique beauty of diverse colours and longevity which make them very suitable for flower arrangements and event decorations. Calimero flowers on display at Len Alkemade’s international flower show have made their way to Vietnamese minds as a symbol of friendship between the two countries of Vietnam and the Netherlands.