Acknowledged as the pioneer of growing orchids in Samoa, Taufailematagi Agnes Chan Erichsen has been growing the plant for more than 50 years.

At the age of 77, her love and care for orchids remain the same and have not withered after many years of planting and taking care of her plants. 

Mrs. Erichsen was among the guests who attended the unveiling of a new exotic variety of orchids and other ornamentals at Fa'aitoia on Thursday morning. The unveiling of the new plant species is part of a six-month project by Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Plus in partnership with the Famoa-Omonea Society.

The project was launched by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt who also made mention of Mrs. Erichsen's pioneering work in his speech.

In an interview with this newspaper on the margins of the six-month project's launching on Thursday last week, she recalled her journey over the last five decades and the challenges she had to overcome as a florist. 

"I am so touched that the Minister has remembered what I have tried to do over the years," the veteran farmer told the Samoa Observer. “I started from scratch, I started humbly by myself before my daughters got involved and it became a business. 

"Whatever I could my hands on I would try to recycle and use everything naturally. The business is still going well and it’s been over 50 years that I’ve been in the business.

 “This has been a problem and it discourages people. The cost, insurance and freight and I wish they would remove or at least make it easier for us. I encourage a lot of women to do it, but this kind of thing makes it hard."

The art of growing orchids requires "a lot of love and care", according to Mrs. Erichsen, who said if the plant is not given the attention it deserves then it will only bloom once a year. She then called for public awareness on how people can take care of their rose gardens. 

Emphasising that starting a rose garden can take years, she said people usually give up because it is a long and arduous process. The farmer then recalled a distribution of orchids made by the Japanese, and amongst all the local growers who received it, hers is the only one that exists to this day due to her commitment and dedication. 

"You’ve got to love and take care of the plant. You can’t just buy it and expect it to grow. You’ve got to nurture, you’ve got to water and feed them. It’s just like people, you’ve got to feed them and everything, you have got to be patient."

Unsurprisingly, her children have also taken up after her, in terms of their love for plants and life generally as a florist. Over the years her flowers have been used to decorate churches and are used in government functions, which Mrs. Erichsen said was done at no cost.

But she later went into business because the demand increased and over the years became one of the country's most sought-after florists. She has also diversified her plant portfolio and went into fruit trees. 

“I’ve been everywhere in the world. I travelled to Denmark, to Holland where there are so many orchids and so affordable but very expensive to us because of the duty and freight prices,” said Mrs. Erichsen, while recollecting some of her top customers.

“Aggie Gray’s Hotel was my number one customer every day of the week. I would do flowers for the lobby, for the VIPs, ambassadors, and diplomats and I have done flowers for every royalty that has come to Samoa.

“I don’t advertise and this is the beauty of something that you love to do. You can’t count the many rewards from God. I have been very blessed and I don’t rely solely on selling orchids, I grow fruit trees and many other plants. 

"You have to diversify – just like a farmer who doesn’t raise cows – you have got to have something else to keep the income coming.”

Over 50 years later, her daughter now runs the business and has taken over her mother’s mantle and shares the same passion for plants and orchids.