Interview with Dirk the Dutch Flower Man

Every spring, St Ann's Square comes into bloom. The Exchange Street end becomes covered by a carpet of brightly coloured flowers, hanging baskets and bedding plants – all for sale at extremely reasonable prices. It's a sight reminiscent of the famous flower markets in Amsterdam, and indeed it's a Dutchman that's behind the bloom – Dirk the now famous Dutch Flower Man. A regular face on Manchester's specialist market scene, Dirk brings his charm, infectious jolliness and of course, his flowers, to Manchester every year for the Spring and Christmas Markets.

Dirk hails from a small town near Arnhem in Holland which is famous, as he is keen to point out, for WWII book and film A Bridge Too Far. He is the third generation of flower seller in his family, and the first to export his wares abroad as a travelling market trader.

“My father and grandfather did it on the markets in Holland,” he explains in his thick Dutch accent. “But actually I am going to several countries. I am also in Italy, Sweden, Denmark, and I am not that much in Holland.”

I wanted to know when he first became a flower seller, so Dirk explains. “It's been 20 years, since the fall of the Iron Wall in Germany. I wanted to see East Germany, so I went and I did my first market over there. It was very nice, and then you go and look around several places in Italy and England.”

As one of the original specialist market traders in Manchester, Dirk has been selling flowers to the city's residents for over a decade. So how did he first become involved in the markets over here?

“It was 11 years ago,” he tells me. “The manager of Manchester Markets Kendra Kennedy came to Florence in Italy – we were at that time over there – to see if we would be interested in doing the Christmas markets. We jumped at it straight away fortunately. I think there are about ten [traders] left at the moment who were there at the beginning.”

Dirk obviously enjoys his work, and over time has become a well known character in Manchester. I ask him how he feels about his status as a local celebrity. “Sometimes it feels nice,” he says. “But once I went into a taxi and the driver said, 'Are you the man with the big truck of flowers?' and I said 'Yes! Why?' and he said, 'Because you're always in my way.'”

Grumpy taxi drivers aside, Manchester has welcomed Dirk with open arms. He's here for three weeks every spring for the Spring Markets, and then for 40 days for the Christmas Markets. “And in between I am several times over here because I come and visit.”

I wonder how long he will continue to brighten up the city with his flowers? “Until the end of my life for sure,” he laughs. “They will have to put away my legs before I stop.”

Hopefully it won't come to that.

Find Dirk at the Spring Market in St Ann's Square until 6 June. The market is open every day from 10am to 6pm.