This year feels different for me. Not louder or bigger, but more exciting, more intentional. Eight months ago, I reopened the flower business of my mother, Regine Motmans. Hof van Xander - Powered by Floregineel. A place shaped by years of love, craftsmanship, and a very strong sense of identity, with a signature design. My safe place. Stepping back into that space means learning every single day. Learning how to honor what my mom built, while slowly shaping something that feels true to Hof van Xander and to me, without trying to replace Floregineel, because that story will always exist.
Futura Red Naomi Roses From Porta Nova
For Valentine’s Day, I received Futura Red Naomi from Porta Nova Roses. The moment I saw the buckets, it felt familiar and crazy at the same time. These roses carry history in our family. My mother always had a love for Porta Nova roses. That kind of loyalty doesn’t come from branding. It comes from years of trust, consistency, and real floral quality. And when you hear the fresh crisp of the leaves when you unpack them upon arrival, you know where this kind of loyalty comes from.
Paper First - Flowers Later
I started the process the way I do when I’m designing for weddings, with sketches. Paper first, flowers later. At least for the bigger arrangements. I need to see ideas before I can feel them. Lines, balance, negative space. After that, I brought the designs to life, letting the roses guide the final form. Because that's what it is for me, a feeling, not a rule of how it's supposed to look.
What Valentine’s Day Really Means
Valentine’s Day is often simplified into one color, one flower, one gesture. But for many people, it holds much more. It can represent love, of course, but also connection, appreciation, memory, and sometimes even longing. For some, it’s joyful. For others, it’s quiet. And the design should be able to hold all of that. As a florist, I believe Valentine’s designs should reflect emotion, not a cliché. Red doesn’t need to scream for me. When it's used with intention, it can talk silently about confidence, deep love, and warmth.
Why Red Naomi Is Special to Me
If I’m completely honest, Red Naomi roses are my absolute favorite. For a long time already. My Grandpa loved them, my mom, too. From the years when I was helping, cleaning flowers, and packing piece by piece, but also now, buying and selling them myself. I love those Porta Nova Roses. They are elegant without being fragile. They are strong and have a long vase life. I've always loved nature, the forest, the birds, and so Porta Nova Futura grown with 100% wind energy and a 95% lower footprint, is exactly what we as florists need. Buy Futura Red Naomi roses and help to take care of our planet. I, for one, think it's essential to the future. Working with these roses feels like working with something that understands the time we live in.
Translating Valentine
For this Valentine collection, I searched for inspiration, but I wanted to step away from too much or too extraordinary. No forced romance. Just love, rhythm, and emotion. The Red Naomi roses allow that. Strong focal points, calm compositions. Most of all human. Designs that feel thoughtful. Arrangements that express love without explaining it. In many ways, this collection reflects my own journey right now. Learning by doing. Sketching before acting. Translating who I am into flowers, while carrying forward the values my mother stood for.
One Rose, Many Stories
Valentine’s Day will always be about giving something meaningful. A rose can be a symbol, but only when it’s chosen with care and designed with respect. Red Naomi does exactly that. And that's what I want to do! Design with love and respect, with the best roses possible.
Futura Porta Nova Red Naomi it is!
