VICTORIA, Seychelles — On Praslin, where Valentine’s Day is marked each February 14 by an extra glow of red dresses and bouquets, the island’s florists are among the busiest small businesses on the calendar. At Grand Anse, Lucille Hoareau was hard at work yesterday, arranging roses and tropical flowers for the morning deliveries, her home filled with the sweet scent of fresh arrangements.
Ms Hoareau, who traces her love of flowers to her childhood in the districts of Ma Joie and Anse Kerlan, said she started the business slowly but surely. ‘My elder sisters enjoyed gardening but I also had my little corner of the home where I planted my own flowers. I have always loved flowers and for me they add a special touch to homes,’ she said. She recalled arranging flowers at the Paradise Sun Hotel in 1988, where she worked for 13 years, before later planting tropical flowers on her own plot at Anse Kerlan.
Demand, she said, is driven by locals and visitors alike, and the day is now a small but reliable part of the island’s economy. From her home-based studio, Ms Hoareau supplies bouquets to hotels, restaurants and individual customers, with orders typically placed a day in advance. The continued growth of the wedding and events industry on Praslin, combined with the Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day peaks, has helped sustain small florists and provided a modest but reliable income for several families on the island.
