Natalia Calmîș – the florist from Panasesti who turned her garden into a thriving business
Passion and love for one's work can be the driving force behind a successful business. This is true for Natalia Calmiş, a dedicated florist from the village of Pănășești, Strășeni district. In addition to flowers, she also cultivates strawberries and cereals.
Natalia's passion for gardening began during her student years and deepened after she got married and had children. While on maternity leave, she started a small greenhouse where she grew vegetables for her family. Driven by a desire to experiment, she also began cultivating flowers.
"Having five children, we were looking for a purpose at home to raise the children together. Out of passion and necessity, we started to sell flowers," Natalia said.
She now has three greenhouses in which she grows around ten species of flowers, including cyclamen, sulfinia flowers and chrysanthemums. Last year, she planted approximately 70,000 flowers.
"In spring, we have tulips and hyacinths. In summer, we grow geraniums, clematis, and various ornamental garden flowers. In autumn, we also began growing chrysanthemums. We have to consider the origin of each plant, whether it prefers sun or shade, find the right location for it, and then follow specific care steps," explained Natalia Calmîș.
Natalia greets her customers every day with warmth and a smile.
"We were going to a birthday party and decided to buy flowers because they are really beautiful," said one customer.
Another customer added, "The prices is good for us, and we decided to come back. We especially love the geraniums."
In addition to flowers, Natalia also grows strawberries.
"Flowers and strawberries complement each other for various events. Strawberries, like all berries, can be grown both in open ground and in protected soil," she noted.
The entrepreneur expects to pick over a ton of strawberries.
