Entering Eudreiana, the new florists tucked away on Zamalek side street Ahmed Sabry, is a cure for stress relief. A mere glance at the array of lilies, mums and roses lined on the white washed walls in fresh bunches sends your grime streaked cares asunder, and the torturous Al-Gala mini-bus port, where you were standing just 15 minutes ago, seem like a universe away. There's no doubt that flowers are the world's natural treasures. From the simple foppish daffodil, to the proud, elegant lily, to the coquettish rose, each is imbued with its individual character, which is natural considering each flower has different needs. If anyone knows this, its Azza Al-Mahdy, Eudreiana's manager and director. However, Azza is not just a florist, but a passionate horticulturist and the sole director of two flower farms in Cairo and Alexandria. "My family lived in Ohio while my father was getting his PhD, and my mother kept a beautiful garden for which she often won prizes. My mother died when I was 13 so flowers were always part of keeping her memory alive. Years later, Azza purchased a house in Mansouria, on the outskirts of Cairo, so as to have the space to create her own garden. She went on to create a modest enterprise that has since grown in size to become a well-known name in Egypt's flower industry. But it was Azza's love for her plants, and indeed concern for the future of floristry in Egypt, that prompted her to open up shop. "We were originally giving flowers to florists all round Egypt, but I saw that most florists weren't presenting their flowers and plants in the right way. For instance, they would put pot plants inside the shops. Eudreiana's presentation, in contrast, is simple and delicate. Sitting on a white wrought iron garden chair talking to Azza I had the distinct feeling of being in a French summer house. The cut flowers fill the air with a certain freshness, while the taller pot plants, located strictly outside, complement its fragile lusciousness. There is even a touch of thick, sturdy bamboo to give a sense of the exotic. Eurdreiana also beats its competitors with regard to its prices, as most of the flowers come from its mother flower farms in Mansouria and Alexandria. But it's the 'after customer care' that impressed most about Eudreiana. "If any customer has any queries about how to look after their flowers, I'm ready to help, after all, people are [worried about] their flowers said Azza, who received several phone calls during our meeting, asking her on the best way to treat their flowers, all of which she answered with professional accuracy. "I take time to read as many books as possible on the subject. On my farm, I am responsible for all the technical decisions on how to look after the flowers. But most of my knowledge comes from years of experience. Most of the flower farms in Egypt, Azza tells me, are family businesses, the knowledge of how to deal with the earth rendered from generations of flower farming. "Egypt has some excellent farms, with good quality of crop. We export flowers all over the Arab world. But despite our high quality we do not have the expertise and high technology in fields such as packing, to export to the famous Dutch auction. This is a shame, as Egypt has a good climate for flower farming, and its neighbor Israel is a chief exporter to the Dutch auction. Azza hopes that greater attention will be paid to flower farming in Egypt, especially concerning the growing number of informal farmers who flood the market ignorant of consumer demand. "They have an excellent crop. Some farmers, for example in Anatar, own 15 feddans on which they grow Chrysanthemums in open field. But they just throw them into a saturated local market. If something could be done to help the informal sector, these flowers could be exported. And within the local market, while flower shops are dotted around adding color to our streets, Azza also offers flower arranging services within homes, and, of course, catering for parties and weddings. Her arrangements are, like her shop, an oasis of taste. As she says, a bouquet doesn't mean a big bunch of flowers, it's about valuing simplicity. The beauty of the flowers, after all will speak for themselves. Eudreiana14 Ahmed Sabri St., Zamalek Tel: 02 3735 6431
