11th April, 2022

 

Hello all,

At the International Flower and Garden Show last week, one of the exhibitors was the Gloriosa Nursery, from whom I had bought my original tubers many years ago. They have a wonderful habit of multiplying and, over the years, I have shared them with students, friends and neighbours. 

At bump out time, a kind gentleman at the gloriosa display gave me a bunch of the flowers, which would otherwise have been dumped. I looked for material to use with them and the vibrant colour of the golden elm struck me as a perfect contrast to the vibrant pink of the flowers. Hence, the arrangement, above.

And below is the same arrangement on a plinth under the stairs.

It was Lucy's turn to pick the theme for the advanced students at last week's class. She gave us one word 'Cascading' and instructed us to interpret it any way we chose.

Below is Lucy's arrangement. She used two bamboo, nagaire containers, once owned by Norman Sparnon and cascading golden ash. For colour contrast and floral accent, she used cosmos.

Vicky used a vine draping down from her ceramic, nageire container and bougainvilleas. We had a discussion as to whether it was, strictly speaking, cascading. However, Lucy did say we were to interpret the theme as we saw it, so, Vicky's lovely arrangement stands.

Nicole used a rather large branch of silver birch, which cascaded beyond the table top. With it she used a bluey-mauve hydrangea and nandina domestica nana in autumnal colours.

For my cascading arrangement I used the willow that was in my MIFGS display. I had to shorten it but, otherwise, it was ideal for the wall arrangement, as it allowed the space necessary for such a large stem. I also used disbud chrysanthemums, hydrangeas and amaranthus.

Lei's curriculum theme was 'Only one kind of material'. She used umbrella grass in a vase she bought from an op-shop on her way to class. 

Wendy's curriculum theme was 'Mass and Line'. She used tulips and agapanthus in a ceramic suiban.

Shaneen's theme was 'To be Viewed from Above'. She used pittosporum with some sort of mutation, rendering the leaves white, sedum, society garlic and some small,white flowering material.

I leave you with an award winning Easter bonnet, gracing the head of my youngest granddaughter. Aria. It is her own creation with only a little help from mum.

Happy Easter to all who celebrate it.

Bye for now,

Emily