In the coming weeks, Beata, Ania, Iwona, and I will write more about all the creativity that was going on in the Paežeriai Manor in the village of Paežeriai in Lithuania. Last year, the Rose Festival took place without an international team. I created a project, decorating two arches last year: I was invited as a mentor for the educational program with local students who wanted to find out more about the floral world of roses and try out the profession of a florist. This year again, we had students helping us, which was fantastic to see. But to have an international team was my dream coming through.
My Dream for Lithuania - An International Floral Event
Flower lovers in Lithuania are seldom granted the joy of witnessing a flower festival, and one graced by master florists from around the globe is a true rarity, a dream come to life. That is why my heart was full of gratitude when the steward of Paežeriai Manor, Odeta Riklienė, embraced my idea: to invite to Lithuania celebrated floral artists.
Ania Norwood from the USA, Beata Kaas from Canada, Iwona Kwiatek from Poland, Regine Motmans from Belgium (Floral Connector Thursd), and I came together and created an international Rose Festival.
Ania:
"I created an imaginary embrace of Earth and the sky: 'Celestial World'.The octagon cradles the universe, with Earth suspended by delicate lines—bridges between realms. Florals and botanicals bloom along these threads, symbolizing stars and planets, celebrating the harmony between nature and the cosmos."
Iwona Kwiatek:
"The String of Beauty. True Beauty is a reflection of the soul, like a flower blooming in the morning light. What you see in the mirror is not only the outer layer. It's the delicate petals of your inner truth, which bloom from love and authenticity. Allow yourself to blossom every day, discovering the glow that is uniquely yours."
Beata Kaas, Creative Director and owner of Kaas Floral Design and Kaas Design25 in Toronto, came to the Rose Festival too. Her beautiful design - LUNULA: A Marker of Change and Renewal, showed the warm and the cold, light and dark, open and closed, all the aspects of life.
Beata:
"I love history and fashion, and while being there at the Manor Paežeriai, I learned that they had a beautiful museum inside too. With fashion from the old days. I love these things. Also, the history of the Manor: The palace was built in 1795-1799. Other buildings were built in the 19th century. An exposition of the history of the region is presented in the servants' house next to the palace, and the Belvedere tower is a great place to look around. The Park covers an area of 12 hectares, has the Paežeriai lake, which is very beautiful, and we enjoyed being there."
Also, Floral Connector Regine Motmans from Thursd was present and created a floral masterpiece with Roses only.
Regine:
"Roses are my favorite flowers. So when Kristina asked me to come to Lithuania, to not only write about this event, but also create a design, I happily accepted the invitation. To be surrounded by these exceptional designers and create my triangle, Three Lives, was a pleasure. Name of the Design: “Trijų Gyvybių” (Pronounced: tree-yoo gee-vee-bee-oo) — Lithuanian for “Three Lives.” In Baltic symbolism, the triangle often stands for the sacred trinity of life — birth, life, and death — or the balance of body, mind, and soul. In this design, the triangle becomes a cradle for new life and a bridge between generations. As I prepare to become a grandmother, this floral creation celebrates continuity, legacy, and the unseen threads that connect past, present, and future. Every bloom placed in “Trijų Gyvybių” honors my roots, welcomes what is to come, and blossoms with the love that holds it all together.I started with light colors on top, made the bridge to the orange and red-yellow tones, and ended in the bottom with Porta Nova Red Naomi Roses."
The wonderful, multicolored flowers arrived at the festival straight from the Netherlands. They were sent to us by 'Astra Fund Holland BV' and 'The Floral Industry Hub', and delivered with the help of the Lithuanian company Mirata.
A New Meaning for the Rose Festival
The Rose Festival in Paežeriai took on an entirely new meaning — the crowds of visitors had the opportunity to see top-level floral design projects with thousands of blossoms, which is an exceptionally rare treat in our country. People came from all over Lithuania, taking photos and endlessly admiring the magnificent floral installations created by the florists, reaching lengths of 3, 4, and even 5 meters, showcasing the masters’ inexhaustible creativity and imagination.
This was my second international floral design event in Lithuania — the first, Florart 2019, was held at Raudondvaris Castle in the Kaunas region. Unfortunately, it was interfered with by the pandemic. But the success of the Rose festival in Paezeriai reaffirmed what I have always believed: the people of Lithuania love flowers as deeply as people anywhere in the world. And so I dream that next year we will welcome even more designers, from abroad and from home — and that my heart will once again sing for joy.
Oh… And… I was very excited to have my daughter, Marija, modelling for my floral wearable designs demonstration on the stage at the floral fashion show that took place in the Rose festival as well. Marija has modelled abroad in several places, from South Korea to Japan. So I was honored to have her on our stage. Alongside several beautiful models, the designs of my fellow designers Ania, Beata, and Iwona came to the runway! How extraordinary this was... I'm still in awe. And very grateful. Thank you, everybody, for making this festival a success.
The project names:
Regine Motmans - Three Lives
Kristina Rimiene - Flow of Life
Iwona Kwiatek - The String of Beauty
Beata Kaas - LUNULA: A Marker of Change and Renewal
Ania Norwood - Celestial World
The photos by: Milda Dubauskienė and Dainius Čėpla
