‘Where flowers bloom so does hope’

IF the name Gisela Anne Ludwig was mentioned in a room full of people, it wouldn’t immediately ring a bell, but the moment the name Windhoek Flora is mentioned people do turn their heads.

It is because of the beautiful flowers whose colours and scents can only bring joy to one’s life, that are sold in Windhoek Flora, a flower shop owned Gisela. Gisela (37) also owns Kadies’ Flora in her home town of Rehoboth, which she runs with the help of her mother and sister-in-law.The homely-looking and soft-spoken, Gisela worked at Windhoek Flora as a florist for 12 years before, and as luck would have it, she decided to buy the place when her previous owner was selling six years ago.She had already started with Kadies in 1992.To date Gisela employs nine people, all of whom cut flowers, arrange them in any different styles as desired by the customer and then sell them off.Talk about roses, lillies, violets, tulips, carnations, sunflowers and many others, Windhoek Flora and Kadies Flora have a flower for every taste, every season and every occasion.They also deal with other expensive and special flowers like sterlipzia, anthirium, orchids and the elusive black rose which is imported from Zimbabwe.The prices range from N$5 for a single rose to a whooping N$2 500 and above for intricate labour intensive flower arrangements and designs.Gisela explains that her business caters for every event from with the boom business being occasions such as weddings, birthday’s, special days like Valentines’ Day, Mothers’ Day, Christmas, Easter and sadly funerals.Gisela is a picture of ease and satisfaction as she works on a flower arrangement with one of her staff, in her shop in Windhoek’s city centre.Gisela is proud to announce that her flowers go worldwide to any country or destination, as long as someone requests for the flowers they can be delivered anywhere.”We deliver to any part of the world, and they are fresh when our clients get them just like they have just bought them straight in the shop,” said Gisela.InterFlora experts, said Gisela, regularly came to the flower shop to give training in the latest trends on flower design, and in turn she and her staff go to Johannesburg for training and refresher courses.”We are always updated and we know the newest and latest trends, which helps us in satisfying our customers’ needs and also help with ideas and tips.”On the homefront, Gisela is a single mother of four children aged between three and 17.She talks lovingly with the glow in her eyes when she describes her two daughters and two sons, adding that she can handle both being a businesswoman and a single mom through careful planning and organisation.Gisela speaks passionately about her job.She loves her job as a florist and that is the reason why she bought-out the previous owner.Windhoek Flora is a member of Interflora – an international organisation that began its business over 75 years ago, and with a fresh and original idea, the organisation has grown into the world’s largest and most popular flower delivery network.Interflora is a Trade Association run by its member florists.The organisation has approximately 58 000 florists worldwide delivering flowers to over 140 countries worldwide, each maintaining the stringent standards that Interflora demands.Says Gisela: “Being an Inteflora shop we are expected to maintain very high standards and that’s what we do.”The flower business, says Gisela although it involves roses is not that rosy all the time as dealing with fresh produce is highly sensitive, and considering that most of the flowers are imported from South Africa, dealing with customs can also be harrowing.But despite this Gisela glows as she says the business is worth it and she sees herself forging ahead with her business, and intends to open more shops in the country.As Theodore Roethke put it, “deep in their root, all flowers keep the light”.This is reflected in Gisela’s beautiful smile.Gisela (37) also owns Kadies’ Flora in her home town of Rehoboth, which she runs with the help of her mother and sister-in-law.The homely-looking and soft-spoken, Gisela worked at Windhoek Flora as a florist for 12 years before, and as luck would have it, she decided to buy the place when her previous owner was selling six years ago.She had already started with Kadies in 1992.To date Gisela employs nine people, all of whom cut flowers, arrange them in any different styles as desired by the customer and then sell them off.Talk about roses, lillies, violets, tulips, carnations, sunflowers and many others, Windhoek Flora and Kadies Flora have a flower for every taste, every season and every occasion.They also deal with other expensive and special flowers like sterlipzia, anthirium, orchids and the elusive black rose which is imported from Zimbabwe.The prices range from N$5 for a single rose to a whooping N$2 500 and above for intricate labour intensive flower arrangements and designs.Gisela explains that her business caters for every event from with the boom business being occasions such as weddings, birthday’s, special days like Valentines’ Day, Mothers’ Day, Christmas, Easter and sadly funerals.Gisela is a picture of ease and satisfaction as she works on a flower arrangement with one of her staff, in her shop in Windhoek’s city centre.Gisela is proud to announce that her flowers go worldwide to any country or destination, as long as someone requests for the flowers they can be delivered anywhere.”We deliver to any part of the world, and they are fresh when our clients get them just like they have just bought them straight in the shop,” said Gisela.InterFlora experts, said Gisela, regularly came to the flower shop to give training in the latest trends on flower design, and in turn she and her staff go to Johannesburg for training and refresher courses.”We are always updated and we know the newest and latest trends, which helps us in satisfying our customers’ needs and also help with ideas and tips.”On the homefront, Gisela is a single mother of four children aged between three and 17.She talks lovingly with the glow in her eyes when she describes her two daughters and two sons, adding that she can handle both being a businesswoman and a single mom through careful planning and organisation.Gisela speaks passionately about her job.She loves her job as a florist and that is the reason why she bought-out the previous owner.Windhoek Flora is a member of Interflora – an international organisation that began its business over 75 years ago, and with a fresh and original idea, the organisation has grown into the world’s largest and most popular flower delivery network.Interflora is a Trade Association run by its member florists.The organisation has approximately 58 000 florists worldwide delivering flowers to over 140 countries worldwide, each maintaining the stringent standards that Interflora demands.Says Gisela: “Being an Inteflora shop we are expected to maintain very high standards and that’s what we do.”The flower business, says Gisela although it involves roses is not that rosy all the time as dealing with fresh produce is highly sensitive, and considering that most of the flowers are imported from South Africa, dealing with customs can also be harrowing.But despite this Gisela glows as she says the business is worth it and she sees herself forging ahead with her business, and intends to open more shops in the country. As Theodore Roethke put it, “deep in their root, all flowers keep the light”.This is reflected in Gisela’s beautiful smile.