Flower power and greenery

Class shot - nearing the end of arranging (Karen in the apron)

I've never considered myself to be good at arranging flowers. When I buy them or receive them I do the essentials, cut the stems, stick them in water with the flower food and try and and adjust them so they look okay (balanced, large ones to the back etc.) but I don't consciously think about what I am doing. I have never had the urge to learn flower arranging. In fact it isn't on a list of things I must do before I die! So when a friend said that her son had bought her a day for two for flower arranging for her birthday and he suggested she take me I laughed!

Still we arranged the date and we went along yesterday to The Flower Academy in Iver, Buckinghamshire neither of us confident we would come out with anything to brag about. The only thing I hung on to was that at this time of year it was bound to be something Christmassy, maybe a table decoration and I might just be in with a chance!

The day was in fact wonderful! We arrived at 12.30pm. The little shop was beautifully decorated and the back room was where the action would take place. The long table was laid with a white tablecloth and matching linen napkins, pretty china plates, cups and saucers. On arrival we were given a pot of tea. On the day with us were a group of four friends and a couple. To start with Karen (our demonstrator) explained about different flowers, the flower market in Holland, conditioning different flowers, acclimatisation and the different flower foods. She told us her history of floristry, how she got into it and how she set up the business with Karen (who ran the shop and provided us with refreshments throughout). Then it was time for the demonstration - a table decoration in a pot.

Karen explained each stage first putting in a 'frog' which looked liked an upturned plastic thing you get in the centre of a takeaway pizza (except this had four legs) and this is positioned in the centre of the pot and sealed with a piece of green blu-tak type squidgy stuff known in the trade as 'frog and snot'! A block of foam was then soaked in bucket until it had turned dark green then cut to fit and slotted into the pot. This was rounded at he top with a knife and sealed with tape across to top but bunched up slightly at the top so more foliage could go in. Then the arranging could start using pieces of fir, laburnum and other greenery. The largest of four red roses was set in the middle and the other three set into a triangle. The pot was finished with fir cones, gold sprayed twigs, dried orange slices and cinnamon.  The idea was to create something which looked round from the top but from the side a dome shape. Everything was to be worked in thirds.

Karen explained a little about design in floristry (it reminded me of an art history course I did with mention of texture, form, harmony, shape etc.) as well as the other courses they run, including professional courses.

After the demo we were given sandwiches, warm scones with cream and jam and mini mince pies washed down with tea. One of the girls wondered if she could have hot chocolate and Michelle went out especially to buy a tub! The food came on cake stands (I adore those!) and was delicious. We all chatted and then while the table was being prepared for us to replicate this masterpiece (we were already offering to buy the demo one and pass it off as ours) we had a chance to look around the shop.

Then it was our turn. We each had a bucket with our roses and greenery and on the table we had all the paraphernalia we would need - scissors, tape, 'frogs', foam, ties etc and baskets of cones, orange slices and sticks of cinnamon. We each had a 'lazy susan' to swivel our pots on while we worked, and a cutting board.

As we worked Karen came round to supervise and suggest, put right where necessary and she found a nice Christmas playlist on YouTube to set the scene. I was away then! Music relaxes me and I was all but singing along to Abba and all the familiar Christmas pop songs.

I actually enjoyed it and was soon inserting my fir and other foliage. We had to go outside to spray leaves with leaf shine (you need to be in a well ventilated place) and all our pots were beginning to take shape. In fact we all did really well and were so pleased with our results. We took photos and Karen took a photo for her website and with others cameras so we all had pictures to take home and then it was all over.

It was a fun and informative day ending with a nice centre piece for the Christmas table. My pot is at present sitting on the sideboard and I just hope it lasts until Christmas (it's supposed to last for about 10 days). My friend enjoyed herself too and texted her son to tell him. Am I proud of my arrangement - I sure am !