Auctioneer's column: The rise of autumn classics

Autumn is approaching. Auctioneer Bart Zomerdijk has noticed this in the cold stores and staging areas at Royal FloraHolland. The colours are changing to warm red, orange, copper and deep purple. Perfectly suited for the season, when the weather becomes colder and wetter. People are spending more time indoors, making atmosphere and coziness even more important. 

In recent weeks, we have seen a decline in the supply of typical summer products and a rise in autumn classics. Chrysanthemums (and ball chrysanthemums), calluna, heather, ornamental grasses and fruit, cortaderia and berries are particularly popular now. The supply of seasonal foliage, such as oak leaves, has also increased. This makes for rich, full arrangements.  

Berry shrub auction group 

On my clock A03, the auction group berry bushes is currently growing rapidly in terms of numbers. Products such as Symphoricarpos, rosehip, Viburnum and Crocosmia berries are becoming increasingly common. Because they have decorative value and last a long time, they are popular with florists and arrangers. They use them in autumn and winter arrangements. Callicarpa and Ilex verticillata will also be back on the market soon. These species stand out because of their bright coloured berries and are real eye-catchers. 

A preview of the coming month 

I expect demand for autumn products to remain strong. With All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day approaching in early November, buyers are already looking for arrangements with symbolic and sustainable elements. They often choose berries, rose hips and branches that go well with dried flowers and natural materials. 

In addition, there is growing interest in houseplants with a warm appearance, such as croton, anthurium, netera, schlumbergera and calathea. These plants fit in well with the trend for cosy, autumnal interiors. 

There are few roses available now. In Ethiopia and Kenya, it is cold and wet, which means that production is low. In addition, storms and hail have caused some of the crop to be lost. As always, a shortage of one crop leads to better prices for other products. 

Order picking flowers in Aalsmeer 

Some of the flowers from clocks A03 and A12 will switch to order picking as of 18 September. This means that buyers will have to deal with new vouchers, different cart loads, and a changed order of delivery and inspection. Since September 1, Select Delivery has also been available for some flowers (via order picking) in Aalsmeer. In Floriday, buyers can choose from different delivery time slots for each buyer card, both for the auction and for Auction Pre-sales. 

For suppliers, the method of lot allocation and the order of auctioning will change. The auction order will be determined by random grower lots. Suppliers will also have more influence on the auction order of their products, for example based on the Auction Pre-sale price. It is also possible to supply multiple auction groups on a single trolley, if these are on order picking. 

If you have any questions about these developments, please call the Customer Contact Centre or your auctioneer.