The slogan of Eternal Blooms, a flower company in Wayanad, urges you to invite spring to your home, a spring that would last at least for two years. With flowers and leaves that refuse to wilt, the spring could well remain in your living room until you are sick of it.
Eternal Blooms specialises in preserved plants and flowers. “The idea is to enhance the life of the plants without damaging their natural appeal,” says Suresh James, the brain behind the company. Half the brain, he corrects. His wife, Binimol's would be the other half. While Suresh has the technique, the exquisite arrangements are done by Binimol.
An exhibition organised by the company recently in Kochi, showcased some of its best works. Carnations, roses, orchids, hydrangea and lilies were neatly arranged among different combinations of foliage. The natural food colours added to them make the flowers a tad brighter, though. Unlike dried flowers, preserved flowers have their colour intact. The delightful arrangements are priced between Rs. 450 to Rs. 3,000.
Preservation takes about 40 days, says Binimol. A freshly cut flower has to be preserved within 24 hours. However, all plants and flowers cannot be preserved, says Binimol. Cypress, bamboo, most ferns, and flowers such as roses, tube roses, lilies, carnations and wild flowers are ideal. Suresh and Binimol source their flowers from Bangalore, Ooty and Yercaud. They have a manufacturing unit at Kalpetta.
Suresh has been doing research on plant and flower preservation for the last three years. His next dream is to preserve palms. “It is a very popular trend abroad. Since they live longer and are not at all difficult to maintain, they are preferred to real palms,” he says. These would be perfect for the hospitality industry and the IT sector, too, he says. The company makes bridal bouquets and garlands out of preserved flowers.
Eternal Blooms has a website and the flowers can be ordered online.
