My Uropas (great-grandfather) Johannes Orth was born in Sarona in 1892. Exposed as a child to the practices of farming, he developed a strong passion for all things horticulture, and studied the practice in Germany before returning to his home town in 1911, and starting a nursery on his father’s land. A year later the war broke out, and Johannes was sent away to fight for Germany. Despite the traumas of war, his passion for horticulture never dwindled, and once he returned he again turned his attention to cultivating a nursery.
He began with a single glasshouse, growing vegetables and market produce as it was easy to sell, especially straight after the war when trade was recovering. But Johannes was not content with simple vegetable growing, and soon ventured into cultivating roses and other cut flowers, which were growing increasingly popular amongst Templer families as well as the British posted there. As the first and only Templer in Palestine to own a commercial nursery, Johannes’ business expanded rapidly, with plant varieties ranging from cut flowers to grapes to other shrubs and trees.
His single glasshouse grew to three then five, he installed his own well and irrigation system, his handful of workers became a team, and he started three florist shops; one in Jerusalem and two in Jaffa. His florist shops were also the first to use ‘Fleurop’, a service which allowed customers to send floral arrangements overseas. The floristry business was booming, popular especially with the British soldiers residing in Palestine, who ordered custom flower wreaths and bouquets for wives and girlfriends.
My opa recalls picking flowers for the shop as a child, but his most vivid memories are the days amongst the orange groves where he spent most of his childhood.
