Re: Flower shows--design elements

In a message dated 1/4/03 12:46:07 PM Eastern Standard Time, ECPep@aol.com 
writes:


> How many like competitive flower shows?  This would be the arrangement 
> competition.  

Claire, many of the daffodil shows in the U.S. include design sections for 
flower arrangements ("artistic designs" we call them). I think it adds 
another interesting element to the mix, although I can't always say I 
understand some of the designs or how exactly they meet the stated themes.

The St. Louis Daffodil Society has design sections for youths under 18. They 
sometimes have 20 or more different children entering designs and they 
frequently have cartoon or TV show themes to them. Anything that gets kids 
interested in flowers is a good thing to me.

At the American Daffodil Society convention this year, which my local group 
hosted, chaired by another member of this list, Linda Wallpe, we had a 
special design element in addition to the design section of the national 
daffodil show. On opening night, we tapped 25 men to show up at 9AM the next 
morning to do a flower arrangement. We had lots of daffodils, flowering 
branches from our gardens and some mini-carnations and other greens and 
filler purchased from a wholesaler. We had scoured Salvation Army and 
Goodwill Thrift Shops as well as Big Lots for "fun" containers--we had 
bunnies, frogs, turtles, a bear, a Playboy mug, Santas, lambs, etc. A 
certified designer gave some general tips and the men then started to create 
their own arrangments. We asked them to label their designs with a name for 
the design as well as their own name. Later in the process we also told them 
the arrangements would be the centerpieces for the evening banquet.

We had tons of fun and had even planted a few women in the audience to 
heckle. At the end, some certified design judges looked over all 25 designs 
and were blown away by the quality. One was heard to say, "I studied design 
for 25 years to get to the position I'm in, and look what these damn men can 
do their first time out!"

So I have a very fond spot in my heart for flower designs in flower shows, 
Beverly Nichols notwithstanding.
Bill Lee

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