FLOWER power has replaced power dressing in the business fashion stakes as the region's firms strive to find the x-factor that can close a deal.

The visual and aromatic impact of flowers could be an important ingredient.

That is helping business bloom for Durham florist Joan Brown, who has invested in special training to equip her team with the skills to cater for the corporate customer.

Staff at the Elvet Flower shops at Gilesgate and Old Elvet in Durham city centre recently completed a course in Flowers for Business with the Flower Council in Holland.

After providing flowers for hotels, conference centres and the Princess Royal, Joan, who manages and owns the shops, was already looking ahead.

She said: "We recognised the growing interest from corporate organisations and decided that we not only needed some extra training but we also needed extra space.

"We moved into the second shop last year and having completed the course we are hoping to show businesses around the region the benefits of floral decoration."

The two-day course invited florists from the UK to learn about the power of flowers in the business world, teaching skills in how to build relationships with organisations, exhibition techniques and delivering a cost-effective service