Did you know

• alstromeria, the Peruvian Lily really came from Chile?
• carnations are also known as gillyflowers and scaffold flowers (worn to prevent death at the scaffold)?
• chrysanthemums are known as the Emperor’s Flower in Japan?
• conkers keep spiders away?

These were just a few of the many interesting ‘facts’ that Jackie included in her ‘Flowers and Fables’ presentation.

The six arrangements were varied in shape and design. The first one included palms, rosemary, and viburnum tinus together with ‘Heaven’ roses and pink carnations.  Orchids and red twigs were eye-catching in the second arrangement in an ’egg timer’ container.  Further single orchid flowers in tubes covered in red wool extended the design and were a very memorable feature (and idea!)

An attractive design using a ‘tapestry of foliage’ as the background for another pink arrangement of roses, carnations and alstromeria was totally transformed when it was enclosed in a cage of snake grass. The fourth arrangement included eunomynus, ferns, bergenia leaves, willow twigs and grasses together with cabbages and chrysanthemums.

I was the lucky winner of the next design using liatris, alliums, carnations and cabbages with ivy as its prominent foliage together with  conifer and viburnum tinus. Holly, ivy and bergenia formed the background in the final arrangement  for  beautifully  coloured chrysanthemums and alstromeria together with alliums and liatris.

A very enjoyable and entertaining evening Jackie with lovely designs and ideas that we can take home and try- thank you.

We were delighted Moira managed to escape the chaos of the A14 and A421 to arrive in time to present  ‘The Gift’.  She described her demonstration as ‘traditional with a twist’. Each design represented a special Gift.

The first design, The Gift of Creation, used fatsia, phormium ( both leaves and flowers) aspidistra, artichokes, palms, purple liatris and shamrock chrysanthemums to represent the lush, vibrant and exotic Garden of Eden. Moira created some tension in the audience as she balanced the arrangement on one side of an attractive metal structure.

Adam the Gardener (with blue as the dominant colour ) and Eve using pink were the focus for the next two designs. In the first of these arrangements foliage included spotted laurel, helibore, aspidistra, euphorbia,  steel grass and hosta – several large leaves giving ‘a place of visual calm’ amongst veronica,  lime green spray chrysanths and very large alliums.  Midilino cane work was a feature of the Eve design. Moira used the canes to provide physical and visual movement, link colours and mechanics and to give an enclosed space. Phormium, verbascum, ivy, heuchera, sedum, cupressus, pink variegated photina and baby pink roses were all included, with  blocking used  to give visual impact.

The fourth design was The Gift of Choice . This arrangement had a European influence (‘using everything!’)  – based on a wreath ring covered in ivy,  phormium and aspidistra. Two phalaenopis orchid plants were the main feature with  the root system also used as part of the arrangement. It was finished off by including  apples: the ‘forbidden fruit’.

Next came The Gift of Love a red offset design  using bergenia, phormium, liatris, euonymus, aspidistra and  hypericum as a background for shamrock chrysanths and beautiful red roses

Amazing Grace was the final white and green design. This included leek heads, cupressus, fatsias, Paddy’s pride ivy, sarcossus, aspidistra and hostas with the white  being provided by beautiful lilies, delphiniums and Anastasia chrysanthemums.

A very enjoyable evening which encouraged us to consider giving our own designs a contemporary ‘twist’. The raffle winners went home very happy!

Summer Symphony

The consensus at the end of the evening was that we hope it’s not another seven years before you come to BFAS again Alan!  A most entertaining, interesting and instructive meeting.

The dictionary definition of ‘symphony’ is  – ‘anything characterised by a harmonious combination of elements especially an effective combination of colour’  and that sums up Alan’s demonstration perfectly.  

This month we have listed separately the flowers and foliage for each design just to emphasise that it is the addition of the designer’s talent, flair and experience in putting them together that makes all the difference.

Design 1

Foliage- hosta, fatsia and bergenia leaves, small leafed laurel, variegated pittosporum.

 Flowers -pink clematis,  lilac  lisianthus, purple stocks, pink gerbera.

Design 2  based on a Dutch parallel design using vertical and horizontal lines of colour

 Foliage -beech, variegated hosta and bergenia leaves, acuba,  cupressus

 Flowers- blue delphiniums, mauve  alliums, mini yellow gerberas

Design 3

Foliage -phormium, hellebore and bergenia,leaves, skimmia, euronymous, acuba,  choisya sundance,

Flowers-red gerberas,

Design 4 A Study in Orange 

Foliage-privet, ferns, hosta leaves, box,

Flowers -orange carnations, mini orange gerberas, salmon coloured lilies

Design 5 Butterfly Tree

Foliage–periwinkle, variegated jasmine, hosta leaves, ferns,

Flowers-white roses, white lilies.

Silver butterflies

Design 6 

Foliage-beech, hosta, crocosmia and bergenia leaves, ferns, fatsias

Flowers-fuchsias, cerise carnations, Solomon’s seal, cardoons, red peonies, green Anastasia chrysanthemums, cerise pink stocks, lilac hydrangeas, pink phalaenopsis orchid

If you were inspired by Alan’s demonstration why not try to join our next workshop in October -they say practice makes perfect!

The photographs below indicate a really enjoyable and successful day was had by all. Thanks to Ann G for organising the workshop.

Members took part in the Lonely Bouquet initiative on National Flower Arranging Day.  We know of bouquets left on post boxes, cars and  at supermarkets. Where did you leave yours?

It was a very different meeting this month entitled ‘Fun, Friendship and Flowers’. The aim was to  encourage as many members as possible to take part.

Almost fifty members participated in a ‘hands on’ practical session. The completed arrangements were so varied that it was difficult to realise that everyone had been provided with the same container, midelino sticks, five flowers and some broad leaf foliage. These were supplemented with up to three items of the members’ own choice – twisted willow, extra foliage or flowers, aluminium wire, sisal and butterflies to name a few! The colourful and attractive designs on the stage at the end of the evening really showcased the expertise and talent within the club.

There was also the opportunity to watch demonstrations by members Sheila and Hazel. They produced a pedestal arrangement and church windowsill design using a wide variety of flowers and  foliage (mostly from their own gardens) as well as providing lots of practical tips along the way.

There was also social time to enjoy refreshments and a chat and the committee are grateful for the effort taken to complete a questionnaire; the results of which will inform us as we plan for the development and future of the society.

Thank you to everyone who showed enthusiasm during the evening and to those who worked hard   to organise the event.

A few photos below  give a flavour of the evening.

We welcomed Joyce to BFAS on April 1^st .  The foliage, almost all from her own garden, provided a wonderful variety of colour and texture as background to the designs in   her  Pic ‘n ’Mix demonstration. I’m sure many of us were inspired to be more adventurous with the foliage we grow and use.

The first arrangement was in a picnic basket. The foliage in this design was from her garden and included   cupressa, sundance choisya, juniper and cristata ‘The King’. The flowers were   peach carnations, spray chrysanthemums picking up the colour of the basket , mini gerberas and roses.  The smaller accompanying design had us reminiscing about pic ‘n’ mix sweets which Joyce had kindly placed at the base for our enjoyment.

The next three arrangements were bold statement containers:  two metal structures and a snake basket. Green balls and black bamboo were used to enhance the metal containers. The  focus of the second arrangement was longiflorum lilies and palms with green carnations, conifer and senecio. The third design was a vibrant arrangement of pink gerberas and anthuriums.  The shape of the design was further enhanced by trimmed trachy palm leaves, variegated box and hypericum with phormium leaves   providing height. Eucalyptus bark gave an interesting texture to the design in the snake basket  together with  contorted willow, phormium  and nadina  domestica. Spray carnations and  orchids were stunning against this foliage.

A parallel arrangement between two pieces of   stylised ladder sculptured wood used Cotoneaster and  dracaena leaves with aliums, tulips and red anthuriums. Paddy’s Pride formed the basis of the final design with stems of cornus   providing  height.The green and white design used green carnations, avalanche roses, Anastasia chrysanthemums, green anthuriums and gypsophila. This arrangement was displayed within a wooden framework which Joyce acknowledged was the handiwork of her husband.

‘Fun with Flowers’ was a phrase Joyce used on several occasions and her enjoyment in floral  art  was reflected throughout her demonstration.

A few photographs  are below with apologies that I forgot to remove the (wrong) date from the pictures.

Daphne introduced herself as a glassaholic and the wonderful array of containers she used in her ‘Georgeous Glass demonstration certainly confirmed her love of the material. The vases in varying shapes, sizes, colour and origin were a small part of her ever growing collection.

Her first arrangement was in a beautiful turquoise blue container with frilled edges. Eucalyptus, euonymus, epimedium and pussy willow formed a wonderful background for this white design using tulips, anemones, giant chincherinchee and alstromeria.

The second design, a Hogarth curve, in a beautiful dusky pink candlestick style container was vibrant in colour using cerise carnations, eustoma ,pink gerbera, pink roses and wax flower with viburnum tinus, arbutus  and Berry Marmalade heuchera foliage.  The third design, a long, low arrangement in Daphne’s ‘flying saucer’ container was designed as an all-round arrangement using ‘Cream Wave’ phormiums, yellow roses and tulips. The smooth leaves of the acuba and the wrinkled pittisporum  gave contrast of texture.

The next container reminded us of the peeling layers of an onion and included curled, plain and cream striped aspidistra leaves, choisya, and fatsia as foliage. Leucadendron formed the central point of the design with greenish carnations spiralling around it. Anastasia chrysanthemums completed the arrangement.

The red stems of prunus luctanica (Portuguese bay), together with cotoneaster, arbutus and fatsia formed the basis of the fifth design which was in a black and white vase similar in shape to a Yard of Ale glass. Red leucadendron, scarlet carnations, spray roses, red parrot tulips and scarlet gerberas completed a stunning arrangement.

An L shaped design was the final arrangement which picked up the pink tints in the glass container. ‘Red Devil’ phormium leaves (with rolled ends), skimmia and bergenia leaves provided the foil for pink lisianthus, roses(with a hint of pink), mini pink gerberas, mini amaryllis and pink anthuriums to add a touch of drama.

Daphne provided us with a most enjoyable evening producing six lovely designs – all equally desirable as raffle prizes.  Each design was a different shape and colour combination and included a variety of foliage which most of us have in the garden –  and all enhanced by her Georgeous Glass containers.

Thank you and well done to Lyn J and Doreen W  for entering a BFAS tree in the Christmas Tree Festival at St Pauls.

The lights inside the church from the sixty- one trees made it very difficult to take photographs which do justice to our tree but just a couple are included.

A Christmas feel welcomed members and friends to our final meeting of 2013. Thank you to everyone who provided and bought items  at  the plant stall (with holly, evergreens, pine and wreaths) and the Christmas parcels stall. Both of these raised additional money for our charity Leukaemia Research Bedford Branch. The sales table again was attractive and well stocked with a wide variety of general and seasonal items

We were pleased to welcome one of our own members, Julie Woods, with her demonstration ‘Let the Festivities Begin’. The six arrangements were very different in colour, shape and design but all were enhanced by the inclusion of a wide variety of foliage and by the use of Christmas glitter, baubles  and  decorations.

The first design included aspidistra leaves, arbutus, variegated hedera and loops of bound steel grass as a background for ornithigolam flowers and lime centred  gerberinas.  A beautiful arrangement on a posy pad.

 Red carnations, merlot spray chrysanthemums and poinsettia  provided the colour for The Santa arrangement which also used birch twigs, elaeagnus, holly and yew, with bergenia leaves providing a quiet area for the eyes to rest. Santa was given a cracker as were several members of the audience who shared the jokes with us. The next design, for a table centre, used virburnum bodnantense, rubus tricolor, bay, holly and fern. The colours of the spray roses, Singapore orchids and lilies complemented the glass container filled with baubles and  beads.       

The next design had us looking forward to planning holidays in warmer climes but also reminded us of the spices we use over the festive season. Julie used a wonderful structure of her own design, which was decorated with apples, oranges, peppers and cinnamon to display pincushion proteas, spray roses  and celosia with palm,  gilded fatsia, choisya and monstera foliage. Carols and Nativity were the inspiration for the fifth arrangement in two baskets linked by woven phormium leaves.  Amongst the foliage of cycas leaves, spindleberry, fatsia and euonymous, the beautifully coloured Gabriel anthuriums, large speciality chrysanthemums and cymbidium provided a  wonderful contrast to the previous design.

The final arrangement used an aluminium trough container decorated with cones, reminding us of winter Christmas scenes. The varied and colourful foliage included rhamnus, curly leaved hedera, variegated viburnum tinus, contorted willow and arum itallcum.  Together with snowy (cotton wool) twigs and silver leaves, it was a lovely display even before Julie added avalanche roses, brassica, longiflorum lilies and gypsophila.

 Julie completed the final touches to her  stunning  stage display as Aled Jones sang Walking in the Air. An inspiring evening  ensured everyone left the meeting feeling  ready for the preparations and the celebrations ahead.