I lived my whole life in a small cottage, until I moved into the retirement home. My parents had a large nursery with many greenhouses for all kinds of flowers.

My mother had already taught me the art of flower arranging. In order to further this I went to Düsseldorf for an apprenticeship to become master flower arranger. Each day I would travel the long road from Mangenberg in Solingen to Düsseldorf by bus and train. I remember this time very clearly.

I always enjoyed it a lot, choosing the flowers in the greenhouses, cutting them with my secateurs and putting together beautiful bouquets and arrangements. We had a lot of customers. We also provided the floral decorations for the church.

So the secateurs are for me an emblem of work and a good life.