THE ITALY PROJECT

30.10.2024

It all started with a simple idea. Bart Bresser, standing in front of a magnificent Italian castle, thought, “I have to do something special here.” And so, a beautiful idea was born. One phone call to Brent, the Business Unit Manager of Parfum Flower Company, set everything in motion. Twelve months later, what started as a dream became a reality — although, in a bittersweet twist, Bart couldn’t join us in person due to personal reasons. He guided us from afar, and though we missed him, we made it happen, creating something truly magical.

And boy, what an adventure it was! Let’s take you along for the ride.

Day 1: Touchdown in Bologna

Our Italian escapade began with a smooth flight into Bologna. After hopping on the Marconi Express to the train station, we found ourselves enjoying an authentic Italian start to the trip: a perfect cup of coffee and a slice of pizza. When in Italy, right?

From there, it was a train ride to Fano, where our lovely hosts, Elly and Ada, whisked us off to the breath taking Villa Fonti. Nestled in the hills, the views at the villa were simply breath taking—like something straight out of a postcard.

Awaiting our arrival, 4,000 freshly delivered roses from Alexandra Farms, Tambuzi Garden Roses, Ponterosa, and Agrirose (thank you, OZ Hami for delivering) needed to be hydrated and conditioned. And what better place to do this than in a 1500s castle, in Palazzo Montebello? There’s something so poetic about caring for roses in such an ancient, beautiful place.

The day ended with, of course, more pizza—this time, the biggest pizza we’d ever seen at a charming local restaurant. It was a night filled with laughter, stories, and delicious food. And of course a huge amount of buzz and excitement about this amazing project we were about to begin.

Day 2: Roses, Designs, and Terracotta Pots

The next morning, we got to work! Our talented florist, Daria, and Cock from Coloriginz began designing the floral arrangements. The rest of us checked on the roses (who doesn’t love a good hydration check?), and the team dove into the day’s creative mission.

One of the highlights was creating a moss-covered table adorned with roses from The Rose Company, with a few Parfum Flower Company beauties scattered throughout. Upstairs, Daria was working her magic with the gorgeous WABARA collection, crafting an ethereal wedding bouquet.

We then took a little detour to explore a fabulous selection of terracotta pots and creations (because who doesn’t love a good pot?). We planned to use this large pots in a outdoor design at Villa Fonti, which happens to be used a wedding venue too. The perfect setting for our divine roses.

The day ended with a wine tasting at Guerrieri wine farm, followed by a classic four-course Italian dinner prepared by our wonderful host Ada. Wine, food, and flowers — can life get any better?

Day 3: Lights, Camera, Action!

Day three was all about getting those picture-perfect shots. Our photographer, Maria, arrived, camera in hand, ready to capture the beauty we had been creating. From room-to-room, we worked to finalise the arrangements, using every inch of the incredible castle to show off our designs.

Some of the team stayed back at Villa Fonti to style a stunning table setting (featured below) featuring nothing but Princess Garden Roses, complete with hand-painted crockery by Elly (check out her work at ellyvangent.com). Every detail was pure elegance. This design is reminiscence of one Bart often does with garden roses, a mix of vases overflowing with garden roses.

After a really hard day – that evening brought some comedy to the mix—pasta-making time! Picture this: an Italian chef who spoke zero English teaching a group of Dutch, English, and Ukrainian speakers how to make pasta from scratch. Despite the language barrier, we made it work, and it was a hilarious and heart warming experience. And the pasta? Absolutely delicious, of course!

Day 4: The Rose Company & Truffle Hunting

On day four, we moved our floral arrangements around the villa to capture them in new, inspiring settings. Because of the way the light fell in the castle it was vital we shot our photos throughout the day. It was inspiring to see how different lighting and background changed the images.

Our team also took this opportunity to capture images of all the roses from the new Rose Company collection for our social media channels. If you have not already done so please give us a follow!

Then it was off for one of the most unique experiences of the trip: truffle hunting! Led by a man who once taught Prince Philip how to hunt and then farm truffles (yes, you read that right), we searched for these little treasures in the Italian countryside.

Day 5: A Sweet Farewell

All good things must come to an end, and day five was all about wrapping up. We tidied up our workspace, leaving buckets of leftover roses for the local villagers to enjoy. The joy on their faces was priceless as they gathered the blooms, and some were even used in a concert at the castle that evening.

As we packed up and reflected on the week, we couldn’t help but feel grateful for every moment, every person, and every petal that made this adventure possible.

A Huge Thank You to Our Supporters

This trip wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support of so many. A big thank you to:

Alexandra Farms for their stunning roses
Tambuzi Garden Roses for their beautiful blooms
Ponte Tresa for their unique roses
Agrirose for adding that extra charm to our creations
OZ Hami for logistics and delivering it all to perfection
Villa Fonti for being the most magical setting we could have asked for
Palazzo Montebello for the dreamy castle vibes
Daria for the stunning floral creations
Maria for the remarkable images

We couldn’t have pulled this off without all of you, and we’re already looking forward to the next adventure. And Bart, we missed you, but we’re saving your spot for you next year!

Ciao for now, Italy! Until we meet again!

With love and gratitude,
The Parfum Flower Company Team