Always in Bloom

Have you picked up a hobby during the pandemic? In a year of loss, Dana Campomanes found unexpected joy.

Snip, snip, snip—with the dainty Sola flower and bright Asian peonies, coupled with a little imagination and a whole lot of passion, a beautiful flower arrangement blossoms in the hands of Dana Campomanes, 33.

Dana spends her weekends arranging dried and preserved flowers to brighten up the day of her clients for special events or simply to spruce up their homes. It’s a hobby she picked up during the first lockdown, as she dealt with personal grief.

Two of Dana’s favorite flowers are baby’s breath, which can look fragile, but is one of the most resilient ones, and protea king, a rare flower that looks exotic and grows mostly in Africa.

“I also love working with trigo, a local flower that is very abundant in the Philippines. I love its versatility. It can be easily used in any arrangement as fillers. Preserved roses make any arrangement look romantic, especially the pastel-colored ones. Last of my favorites are peonies. They can literally make any arrangement classy,” said Dana, Institutional Brand Management and Digital Group Officer at Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).

“Whenever a client goes to me without a peg, I always ask for their favorite color or color palette because colors somehow describe our personalities. I want that reflected in the arrangements that I make,” she said.

She is fascinated with the beauty of flowers, from the neutrals to the bright-colored ones. But the thought of arranging meaningful flowers for her clients excites her the most.

“My clients usually order to brighten up their work spaces or homes. Some orders are for friends who are sick or moving on from the loss of a loved one. Others offer the flowers to a loved one who passed away. The story behind each arrangement gives meaning to what I do,” she said.

Dana’s Favorite Arrangements