The Italian city where Nobel spent his last years has always sent tons of flowers to the Nobel party in Stockholm City Hall. But this year the tradition has suddenly been broken – something that the Nobel Foundation previously explained with “logistical and time challenges” during and after the pandemic.
“A lot is from Holland,” answers the Nobel Foundation’s press officer Rebecka Oxelström now during a press conference on Monday.
25,000 stalks
Per Benjamin, the florist who arranges the flower decorations, is busy decorating the honor table when TT calls. He cannot answer the reason why the foundation chose Sanremo flowers – more than that this year’s flowers are bought via “ordinary supplier channels”.
— They are bought from other growers and other countries, we buy through companies in Holland who buy who in turn buy from different places. So it could be that some flowers are from Italy, he says.
This year, a total of almost 25,000 stems will be used in the town hall – including sunball, Japanese lantern, anthurium, orchids as well as gloriosa, bromeliad, tillandsia, nerine, alstromeria and euphorbia, the foundation states in a press release.
Geometric round shapes
The theme is “The strength and joy of flora, color and form” and the flowers are combined with grass, leaves and straws. Per Benjamin, the florist who arranges the flower decorations, is busy decorating the honor table when TT calls.
— We will lay a gold mirror from edge to edge, and then work with strong geometric round shapes, says Per Benjamin and continues:
— Both in pastels and stronger colors.
The carnation is an obvious element, a flower that, according to Per Benjamin, he is grateful to work with. Exotic flowers like orchids break off.
— The carnation gives good color and lasts very well.
“No Christmas Party”
This year’s decor on the main stage at the Concert Hall, where the Nobel Prize ceremony is held, will, unlike the other splendor, be domestic, as long as it comes from Hässelby Blommor’s own greenhouse. On the large flower wall we will see asparagus plants, ferns, monstera and ivy together with cushion moss and Scandinavian lichen.
Native, in other words. In previous years, there has been criticism from Swedish growers and florists that the Nobel festivities should avoid imported flowers altogether, and instead turn their gaze towards the Nordics.
A debate that Per Benjamin knows.
— There is very little Swedish to get hold of during the winter season, right now it’s only Christmas flowers and according to tradition, you’ve never had that. It is not a Christmas party, but a party that celebrates science, knowledge and the future.