How can you walk past the beautiful and vibrant flower shops of Jakarta and not be drawn in by all that colour! Take the time to stop and have a look. The vendors are often keen to share their knowledge and are happy for you to simply look and appreciate. But the bonus is that you can walk away with an armful of beautiful locally grown flowers for a very small amount of money.

Here are a few of our picks

Lotus Flower and Lotus Seed Pods (Teratai)These beautiful flowers and their seed pods are harvested from rivers and river estuaries in Java. As they age, they change to a brilliant and intense purple/violet hue, which makes them even more striking. After about 5 days they are ready for composting.

Bird of Paradise (Barbados variety)
These beautiful flowers are often what come to mind when you think of tropical flowers. Their vibrant, large, striking flowers create a beautiful centre piece in a floral arrangement. These flowers belong to the Heliconia family. The Bird of Paradise at the Florist I visited had been sourced from Sukabumi in West Java.

Sedap Malam (Tuberose)
These long-stemmed elegant flowers will add a beautiful perfume to your house. They will reveal their true beauty at night when each flower opens. Sedap malam are grown in Central Java (due to the cooler climate).

Anggrek merah (variety: James Storie aranthera orchid)
James Storie orchids are characterised by their delicate, slightly freckled, seastar-shaped blooms. They are grown in greenhouses around the wider Jakarta area.

Oriental Lilies and Easter Lilies
Relative to prices back home, these flowers are still very affordable, but are on the more pricey end of the spectrum in the local florist shops. The advantage is that they tend to last longer, especially if you select a bunch that has a good proportion of blooms that are yet to open. Just be careful as the pollen easily stains. These beautiful flowers are grown in flower farms in Java.

Profile of Florist - Pak Mardi

Where are you originally from?
Yogyakarta, Central Java

How long have you had this business?
More than 10 years and now my younger brother Agus, has moved to Jakarta to work with me in my florist.

What is your most popular purchase(s)?
Lillies and Sedap Malam

What are your favourite flowers?
Sedap Malam because they have a beautiful scent, are easy to care for and last in excess of 5 days.

Amanda Florist
Cnr Jl Kemang Selatan 1 and Jl Kemang Dalam X
Kemang, Jakarta Selatan

Words: Jo Stevens  Photography: a journey bespoke