We take a peek at floral arrangements in one of the country’s glitziest resorts, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. Fresh flowers play a crucial role in the Ritz-Carlton experience, as their Florist Ajja Ajwad notes, adding positivity and a touch of refinement to all spaces. The flowers are flown in fresh from the Netherlands twice a month – it takes a lot to look this pretty, as you will see.
Here is Ajja working on brightening up a wedding. These ceremonies require extra care to stick with the order, and Ajja often waits breathlessly for feedback from the newlyweds. It has never been negative, so far.
At the Bedouin-inspired Arabesque, Ajja uses dried flowers to tap into that Lebanese vibe and supplement the restaurant’s warm colour palette. This arrangement might escape notice for it blends in so well, and deserves appreciation if spotted.
Ajja’s love for the charm and elegance of cymbidium orchids come through in her display here at the arrival pavilion. It is a windy corner of the resort so Ajja has to improvise – she comes up with glass vases to house the flowers and accompany the driftwood sculpture.
Things are turned up a notch during the festive season. The theme here at the Chinese restaurant Summer Pavilion is ‘all natural’. Dried oranges, cinnamon, and pine make up the display here – a thing of beauty and a quiet tribute to the magic of Christmas.
The spider chrysanthemum and allium bulbs decorate The Estate’s dining table, the stateliest villa at the resort. This winsome combination of bright green and purple is arresting, while the tall stems add a dramatic element to the scene.
Tulips are symbolic of the source of the flowers and they happen to be Ajja’s favourite. They enliven this decorative display for a new year’s gala dinner. The process was time consuming, the tulips’ petals needed to be flexed individually but, see, the effort was worth it.
