Roses from Don Eloy. Yes I didn’t realise they could open up that much either!

Did you know that Colombia is the second biggest exporter of cut flowers in the world?! Yea I bet you didn’t. I don’t blame you since Colombia usually just gets the bad rap.. In fact, the export value of roses is almost as big as coffee’s!

The roses above are from Don Eloy, who somehow manages to sell their roses at atrocious prices.. For those who live in Bogota, the valuable tip I got is to take a hike to Paloquemao at 6am on Saturday – you will get the best flowers and they are dirt cheap. Worth the madrugada! Apparently even Ecuadorian florists drive overnight to our city to buy flowers here.. Incredulous I know..

The story behind these ridiculously arranged roses is a tip that is useful for just about anyone who buys roses. When they are a few days old but still not opening to the extent you think it could, cut them short and force feed them with plenty of water. They’ll grow bigger than you have ever seen before!