Florists in the News
• In early April, Jules d’Alcantara Fleuriste sold their property having been in the same location since the turn of the 1900s. The family moved their Sherbrooke Street East operation to 9330 Lacordaire Blvd. Near des Grandes Prairies Blvd.
Montreal Gardeners’ & Florists’ Club
• The April General Meeting of the Club was held at Dutch Greenhouses, in Napierville. The evening’s guest speaker was Gilles Vincent who is not only the director of the Jardin Botanique de Montréal, but an internationally acclaimed expert in the field of biotechnology in what concerns the restoration of wastewater through the use of aquatic plants. His project on Ile Notre Dame, in Montréal, has not only stood the test of time, but also stands as a testimonial to his work. Presently, Vincent is the project consultant helping to restore the waters in a park in Fajing, China. His presentation was inspiring.
The “Clock”
• The Marché Floral Inter-Provincial, otherwise known as The Clock, has undergone drastic changes this year. François Caron, general manager, who took over the helm from Klaus Schatz, stated that the task was made easier since he had a very solid foundation on which he could build.
François is fully cognizant of distribution, sales and marketing, having honed his skills to benefit several mass merchandisers and horticulture related chains. He understands the Quebec market and retains a keen sense of trends and their rapidity to bring about change in the market place.
With goals and sales projections in place, and with the help of his first class team, François has achieved targeted projects including a web site, an on-line catalogue, a complete revision of the computer network, and a new accounting system. The biggest change is in the quality control of the merchandise being sold, and strategic planning – both in the process being implemented.
François stated that the most radical modification has been the regular scheduling of focus group meetings. These meetings allow growers and florists to be aware of each sector’s needs and expectations.
Floral Montréal International
A new floral and garden exhibition, Floral Montréal International will take place at the Parc des Ecluses, in the Old Port in Old Montreal from June 15 to October 9. The exhibition has been included in the Top 100 North American tourist destinations for 2006 by Destination Magazine. The event will be held annually until 2010, after which the Mosaicultures International will return to Montreal. This year, the Mosaicultures are being held in Shanghai.
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