Flower Show....
My garden club held our spring flower show. This is a design group - we don't focus on gardening even though we are a "garden club". We do two shows a year. All our members are designers. Most of us are also Flower Show Accredited Judges. All our members participate in both the design and horticulture classes.Traditionally we each enter 1-2 design Classes and at least 5 pieces of Horticulture. Because we are such a small club and several members were out of town or wintering down south, it is a very difficult show for us to pull off.
Our title was "Festivals on Parade". Each Class had a title of a country and a festival they hold. I participated in the a table class - "Holland Tulip Festival". Because my roots are in traditional design - when in doubt I compete in a Class calling for a completed centerpiece for a dining table. (So you know, I also competed in "Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival", a "creative" class calling for a spacial thrust design.) I have come to know the simpler, or less complicated your table can be, usually the better it places. I know color is a huge part of the overall table, so I knew I wanted to emphasize that as well.
FYI: Things required in a Functional Table Class are a table covering, plate, napkin, beverage service and the arranged centerpiece. Flowers in a vase don't cut it. You can also include a placemat or runner, and any accessories that portray the theme. No silverware, please.
I began by searching my house for anything Dutch. Then I asked everyone I knew if they had a wooden shoe, a windmill, Dutch figurines, or a piece of Delft in which to arrange my flowers. I checked the Holland flag - red, white and blue, like ours- that could be confusing. Nothing turned up. I went a different route thinking I would use tulips (of course), most likely yellow (because I like them), and blue and white to imply Delftware. I had a white table cloth and I own white dishes, knowing I would need a plate and a cup and saucer or a mug. I was feeling like it was going to come together.
Then, I made rounds to Goodwill and both Salvation Army stores. I was in luck, I found a blue and white toile-ish bowl, a placemat that was the blue I had in mind, a mug in the same color, a set of 6 matching napkins and a yellow table runner. For the most part, mission accomplished. Then I got a text and a phone call about possible "wooden" shoes I could borrow. I went with the plain brown ceramic one. I figured I could set it on the table somewhere once I saw how large it was, which would be the day of the show. Wow, just need to order the flowers.
Blue and white with yellow accents - theme colors. Flowers: yellow tulips and light blue delphinium. My box of flowers arrived and I received dark blue larkspur. No.....but wait, I get another order tomorrow. Saved! I called and ordered the delphinium- luckily they had them. I was relieved when I opened the box and they were the perfect color! Relief.
But, what about the TULIPS? After all of this, I had forgotten about them. They never came. So, Pick and Save here I come! Luckily, they had a nice assortment and they had yellow. Bonus, they were on sale!
If a centerpiece is required for entry, I usually make my arrangement at home the night before "just in case" anything that can go wrong does. I feel safer delivering a finished design than taking all the parts in the car and trying to put it together with everyone talking to me and hassling all about. Probably a hold over from my flower shop days. If its a creative design, since those require less materials, I feel those should be done on sight to get the size correct.
So, this is what my blue ribbon winner functional table looked like:
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| Spacial Thrust Peony, Bamboo, Equisedium |
FYI: Things required in a Functional Table Class are a table covering, plate, napkin, beverage service and the arranged centerpiece. Flowers in a vase don't cut it. You can also include a placemat or runner, and any accessories that portray the theme. No silverware, please.
I began by searching my house for anything Dutch. Then I asked everyone I knew if they had a wooden shoe, a windmill, Dutch figurines, or a piece of Delft in which to arrange my flowers. I checked the Holland flag - red, white and blue, like ours- that could be confusing. Nothing turned up. I went a different route thinking I would use tulips (of course), most likely yellow (because I like them), and blue and white to imply Delftware. I had a white table cloth and I own white dishes, knowing I would need a plate and a cup and saucer or a mug. I was feeling like it was going to come together.
Then, I made rounds to Goodwill and both Salvation Army stores. I was in luck, I found a blue and white toile-ish bowl, a placemat that was the blue I had in mind, a mug in the same color, a set of 6 matching napkins and a yellow table runner. For the most part, mission accomplished. Then I got a text and a phone call about possible "wooden" shoes I could borrow. I went with the plain brown ceramic one. I figured I could set it on the table somewhere once I saw how large it was, which would be the day of the show. Wow, just need to order the flowers.
Blue and white with yellow accents - theme colors. Flowers: yellow tulips and light blue delphinium. My box of flowers arrived and I received dark blue larkspur. No.....but wait, I get another order tomorrow. Saved! I called and ordered the delphinium- luckily they had them. I was relieved when I opened the box and they were the perfect color! Relief.
But, what about the TULIPS? After all of this, I had forgotten about them. They never came. So, Pick and Save here I come! Luckily, they had a nice assortment and they had yellow. Bonus, they were on sale!
If a centerpiece is required for entry, I usually make my arrangement at home the night before "just in case" anything that can go wrong does. I feel safer delivering a finished design than taking all the parts in the car and trying to put it together with everyone talking to me and hassling all about. Probably a hold over from my flower shop days. If its a creative design, since those require less materials, I feel those should be done on sight to get the size correct.
So, this is what my blue ribbon winner functional table looked like:
I had my blue delphinium and yellow tulip centerpiece arranged in a white container. I noticed it had leaked overnight, so I put a saucer underneath which changed the proportion a bit. To break up all that white I used the yellow table runner as a placemat, but let it hang over for fun. I folded the napkin like a candle and laid it on the plate, again to break up the white. I tucked the BIG brown shoe slightly under the flowers to hopefully make it look a little smaller. Lucked out. The Judges liked it
By the way, my cactus which was blooming won an Award of Merit.
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