Flower power for independence day

Asiatic lilies, green daisies, the bark of paradise and wax flower – the names conjure up several images to flower power but you couldn't imagine they could be related in any way to the Indian Independence. At the Taj Mansingh in Delhi, these flowers are nestled and woven together into a three tier ensemble to celebrate the Indian Independence.

Could a luxury hotel influence how a guest feels about a particular property or brand through the use of flowers? Floral strategy is a deliberate marketing ploy that in today's competitive environment allows some hotels to shine. In fact, step into a lobby and you know that it is defined by its flower power when it comes to upending scale and a touch of class.

All over the world most frequent travelers, pay such close attention to hotels floral and decorative displays that, they can gauge the kind of experience they are going to have based on that single floral display in the lobby. At Taj, they do not have much space-because you are walking into a lobby that has many facets and beyond the doors, it's a busy aisle that buzzes through the day. But I never fail to take out a few minutes to stand at gaze at the ensemble that greets my eyes. A little closer scrutiny reveals that all they have are a set of nesting tables/stools. The tiers are what add to the exclusivity of the décor and the melding of teak and flowers is an age old classic that hums of Oriental Arcadia.

Everyone loves flowers.The hospitality industry is one of the biggest customers of flower buying in the country. In fact, the demands have spawned many farms and horticulture avenues all over the country. Decorations have moved beyond the stilted bookish ikebana styles-now when you think of decoration there is a blending of exotic displays and multiple islands instead of the less is more look. Two hotels that stand out for flower power in Delhi are Imperial Hotel and Taj Mansingh. Senior Vice President and General Manager Vijay Wanchoo with an epicurean eye can be seen running his critical eye over the flowers in the lobby.

In the torrid heat of the summer this year, they had a sensational array of carnations that were dipped in long cylindrical vases - it set off an air of austere Zen echoes even as it radiated the warmth of the vermillion velvet intensity.

At the Imperial Hotel and Taj Mansingh fresh flowers form the gospel of all arrangements carried out in accents as well as central or peripheral displays. Flowers add not just a degree of rejuvenated colour palettes and grace but even touch human moods albeit for a fraction of a second. Studies have proved there is a link between mood elevation and flowers.

A detailed study at Rutgers University showed that every participant that received flowers smiled in some way instantaneously upon being presented with a bouquet. Perhaps the success lies in the magic of the merging of green stalks, lush leaves and petalled hues that come to life.