The Dutch flower and plant sector has recovered more quickly than was predicted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesman for auction house FloraHolland has told news website Nu.nl.

‘People have learned to value flowers more,’ the spokesman said. ‘Developments are positive across the board and demand has recovered much more quickly than we had dared hope.’

Although sales of cut orchids and other flowers typically used at weddings and events are still down, more people are buying bunches of flowers for either themselves or friends, Nu.nl said.

Jeroen de Zwart, director of flower delivery service Fleurop, said sales are currently 50% up on a normal year, and rising.

This, he said, is likely to be due to restrictions on visitor numbers. ‘So people are ordering flowers to be delivered for a birthday,’ he said. ‘Companies are sending flowers to their staff more often too.’