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Kenya Flower Festival Literally Took Flowers to the Wild in Its Latest Edition

The 5th edition of the event took the participants to flower breeders in Naivasha and Nakuru before culminating in a floral carnival at the Nairobi National Park.

By: BRIAN OKINDA | 08-10-2025 | 6 min read
Floral Events Travel
Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

This past weekend, the Kenya Flower Festival 2025, themed ‘Flowers in the Wild,’ turned Kenya's floriculture landscape into a spectacular carnival, celebrating wild nature and floral artistry. This edition—the 5th of its kind—of the floral event fondly known as KEFFLO and organized by floral entrepreneur Rosemary Kimunya, took place across multiple exquisite venues from September 30th to October 4th. It presented an extraordinary floral experience that definitely surpassed all previous such festivals. How did it all go down? Well, here’s how

A Festival That Captured Hearts Across Kenya’s Flower and Nature Lovers

The 2025 KEFFLO was distinguished by its wide scope and diversity, spanning from the flower farms of Naivasha and Nakuru to the iconic Nairobi National Park, and other venues along the way. The festival masterfully wove together Kenya's natural beauty with its world-renowned floriculture expertise, and the resultant experience was, for those who attended, unforgettable, celebrating the country's place as the fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers globally.

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

The festival's crown jewel, ‘Roses, Rosé & Roast, took place on October 4th at Nairobi National Park, marking the first time this iconic venue hosted such a floral extravaganza. Against the backdrop of Nairobi's magnificent skyline in the background, and roaming wildlife, those present enjoyed an enchanting garden party atmosphere that perfectly embodied the then ‘safari chic + pastel monochrome’ colors.

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article
KEFFLO organizer Rosemary with Jurgen 'Jay' Ilsink of Interplant Roses

 

Immersive Flower Farm Experiences That Showcased Kenya’s Floral Expertise

The festival's multi-day experience began with the ‘Flower Farm Tours in Full Bloom’ on September 30th, where guests ventured behind the scenes of Kenya's most iconic flower farms and establishments, including breeder Interplant Roses’ facility. These intimate tours offered participants the rare opportunity to witness how Kenya's world-class flowers are bred, grown, sorted, and prepared for global markets. The experience included guided tours, hands-on bouquet creation, networking lunches, and the joyful ‘happy florals’ dress code that set the festive tone.

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

For those seeking the ultimate luxury experience, the ‘Farm, Flowers & Sunset Safari' combined flower farm visits with scenic game drives and exclusive bush dinners under East Africa's starlit skies. This premium offering, spanning September 30th and October 1st in Naivasha and Nakuru, provided guests with accommodations, park visits, and the complete ‘safari chic + floral’ experience, just as the then dress code implied. The second day of the floral safari had participants creating their own floral masterpieces while learning about the complete journey of flowers from breeding to international markets.

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

The Flowerpreneur Summit, Where Floral Business Ideas Thrived

October 3rd saw the highly anticipated ‘Flowerpreneur Summit: Where Business Meets Bloom' in Nairobi. This was a dynamic gathering bringing together top voices in floriculture and floristry, including expert growers, export consolidators, and world-class master florists for an intensive day of learning and networking. The summit featured panel discussions on export business opportunities, hands-on floral masterclass sessions, and valuable networking with speakers from Kenya, the UK, and South Africa.

 

 

The summit's comprehensive program included guidance on starting florist businesses, industry leadership insights, and practical sessions that empowered aspiring flower entrepreneurs. This session attracted visitors from at least six countries, uniting growers, exporters, designers, and flower enthusiasts in floral business conversations; a perfect blend of entrepreneurial spirit and floral artistry. The panel discussions for the Flowerpreneur Summit featured florist Mabel Maposa (South Africa), Alice Blush Events, Rosemary, and Lina Jamwa of the Kenya Flower Council.

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

A Garden Party That Redefined Floral Celebrations

The festival's grand finale, ‘Roses, Rosé & Roast,’ as noted, was a celebration of Kenya's floral heritage. It was an eventful session featuring flower shows, DIY arrangement workshops, live music, and delicious food and drinks.

 

 

At the magical DIY flower arrangement sessions, guests created delightful floral pieces under expert guidance. Professional florists led hands-on workshops, teaching participants advanced arrangement techniques while sharing insights about Kenya's diverse, bright, bold, and utterly charming flower varieties, which have made the country famous globally.

 

Kenya Flower Festival Lady With Flowers

 

Attendees also reveled in the festival's unique lifestyle experience, enjoying gourmet roasts fresh off the grill paired with elegant rosé tastings. The culinary component enhanced this event, making it better than other traditional flower shows, which created an elegant outdoor dining experience that perfectly complemented the floral displays and the guests’ safari chic + pastel monochrome dress code.

 

 

Then Fashion Met the Flowers in the Wild

Building on previous years' Floral Couture traditions, KEFFLO 2025 also showcased an impressive array of floral fashion statements, featuring attendees embracing the happy florals, safari chic + florals, and the safari chic + pastel monochrome dress codes with creativity and flair. Many wore elaborate flower crowns created by Acacia Creative Studio and other designs by local creatives. The festival's fashion element showed how flowers can seamlessly integrate into contemporary fashion and style.

 

 

 

The Weekend Showcased Kenya’s Floral Scene and Natural Wealth in Their Raw Form

Rosemary, who is the Kenya Flower Festival organizer, emphasized how the event bridges the gap between Kenya's world-class flower production and local appreciation. She believes that the floral festival brings the beauty, business, and creativity aspects of flowers back home, an idea that this year's theme perfectly captured through the experience of Kenya's floral wealth in its most natural settings.

 

Kenya Flower Festival Flowers in the Wild

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

The 2025 Kenya Flower Festival, basically, succeeded in creating a magnificent event that was both educationally enriching and aesthetically delightful, faultlessly blending Kenya's wild, natural landscapes with its refined fashion and flowers. It offered participants everything from business insights to creative inspiration, all wrapped in the beauty of flowers in the wild and natural settings. This took the KEFFLO flower experiences and the Kenyan floral scene to newer heights. It set a standard for future editions while showcasing why Kenya remains a leader in both flowers and eco-tourism.

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 at a Glance:

 

Kenya Flower Festival 2025 Literally Takes Flowers to the Wild - Thursd Article
Kenya Flower Festival would like to thank all those who made its 5th edition possible.

 

Some of the partnering companies for the event included Wafex Kenya, Interplant, United Selections, Molo Greens, Tambuzi, Kisima, Flamingo Horticulture, Ole Engai Growers, Vermont, Ball, and Red Lands Roses. Floral designs were done by Blush Events and Designs, supported by Acacia Creatives UK and Oakwood from Uganda.

Images by Kenya Flower Festival. Reels by @tendo_auko and Kenya Flower Festival

FAQ

What is the Kenya Flower Festival (KEFFLO) and when did it start?

The Kenya Flower Festival (KEFFLO) is an annual social event founded by floral entrepreneur Rosemary Kimunya that celebrates Kenyan flowers and promotes a culture of using fresh cut and garden flowers in everyday life. First held in 2019 at Lord Erroll Gourmet Restaurant in Nairobi's Runda area, the festival aims to create a vibrant local market for Kenya's flower farms while showcasing the country's position as the fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers globally. The 2025 edition marked the festival's 5th year, themed 'Flowers in the Wild.'

What made the 2025 edition unique and where did it take place?

The 2025 KEFFLO was distinguished by its great scope and diversity, spanning multiple venues from September 30th to October 4th. The festival took place across flower farms in Naivasha and Nakuru, and culminated in a historic first at Nairobi National Park. This edition literally took flowers to the wild, combining Kenya's natural beauty with its world-renowned floriculture expertise. The grand finale, 'Roses, Rosé & Roast,' marked the first time the iconic national park hosted such a floral extravaganza, with over 15,000 flower stems used across installations.

What experiences and activities were offered during KEFFLO 2025?

The festival featured a comprehensive multi-day program, including Flower Farm Tours, where guests visited iconic companies like Interplant Roses, witnessing how world-class flowers are bred and grown. The premium 'Farm, Flowers & Sunset Safari' combined farm visits with game drives and bush dinners under starlit skies. The Flowerpreneur Summit on October 3rd brought together industry experts for business discussions and masterclasses. The finale featured DIY flower arrangement workshops, live music, gourmet food paired with rosé tastings, and fashion moments with attendees embracing creative dress codes like 'safari chic + pastel monochrome.'

Who attended KEFFLO 2025 and what was the festival's impact?

The festival attracted over 300 local guests and 21 international visitors from the UK, China, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania. It brought together more than 20 florists and designers, with partnerships from 10 flower growers, including Tambuzi, Interplant, Flamingo Horticulture, and Red Lands Roses, plus 10+ brand and lifestyle partners. The event successfully bridged the gap between Kenya's world-class flower production and local appreciation, offering everything from business insights to creative inspiration while demonstrating how flowers can seamlessly integrate into contemporary fashion, lifestyle, and entrepreneurship.

What is the purpose and vision behind the Kenya Flower Festival?

KEFFLO is dedicated to promoting and inculcating a culture of using fresh cut and garden flowers in events, homes, offices, and all spaces of life, while creating a vibrant local market for flower farms operating in Kenya. Founder Rosemary Kimunya emphasizes that the festival brings the beauty, business, and creativity aspects of flowers back home, celebrating Kenya's floral heritage and proving that the country produces some of the finest flowers in the world. The festival also supports initiatives like the Breast Cancer Awareness Month (held annually in October) and showcases Kenya's leadership in both floriculture and eco-tourism.

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