Tulips named in honour of florist

George Wright5 April 2012

One of London's foremost florists has had a new tulip named after her in honour of her role in helping the flower trade bloom.

Jane Packer, who has been in the business for more than 20 years, became known as the "society florist" after the Duchess of York asked Ms Packer to make her wedding bouquet. Regular clients include designers Calvin Klein and Christian Dior.

The Jane Packer tulip, a flame-orange variety with pointed, lily-shaped petals, has been adopted by a Dutch grower and will be available as a cut flower at florists around the world from next month.

Ms Packer said: "It is absolutely wonderful to have my work recognised in this way.

"It is very special for me because while there are lots of famous people who have had flowers named after them, as far as I know there are no other florists to have this honour."

She said she was unsure if the Jane Packer tulip reflected her personality, but added that she "loved" the unusual colouring and shape of the petals. She joins a long list of celebrities who have had flowers named after them, including Naomi Campbell's coffee-coloured Gerbera, and numerous roses in the name of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Ms Packer began her career at the age of 15 with a Saturday job at a small flower shop in Grays, Essex, when flower arranging was seen as an activity for "aged aunties".

Since then she has risen to the top of her profession and is widely credited with making flower arranging trendy, encouraging celebrities to take an interest. Actor Dustin Hoffman is known to call her shop in James Street, off Oxford Street, whenever he needs to send flowers to friends in this country.

Ms Packer made her name with virtuoso floral displays, and lavish collections of fruit, flowers and ribbon often put together with a complicated construction of chicken wire, tape and string. She also has a flair for making fine arrangements out of a few simple, carefully-chosen flowers - a skill which has given her an especially strong following in Japan, where flower arranging is a highly respected art.

As well as running her shop, she has worked as a consultant to Marks and Spencer for more than a decade and runs floristry schools in London and Tokyo. Her husband, Gary Wallis, is a partner in her business, which has an annual turnover of £1.6 million. The couple live in Maida Vale with their children Rebby, nine, and Lola, seven.