Thank You to Cathy Holloway, Aller  Park, Newton Abbot  for this great write up which was printed in the

Mid Devon Advertiser

Local Florists at Newton Abbot Flower Club

Two local ladies, Susan Hodges and Carolyn Andrews, displayed their talents at Newton Abbot Flower Club this week, demonstrating some fantastic arrangements which they themed ‘New Beginnings’.

Susan from ‘Love To Be Green’ is a floral designer based on the outskirts of Newton Abbot.  Susan   began her career as a dress designer in London’s ‘fashionable’ West End and went on to run her own bridal business designing and making wedding and bridesmaid dresses. After moving to Devon, Susan transferred her design skills into her passion for flowers.  She gained qualifications in Floral Art, Floristry and Contemporary Floral Design & Teaching and was employed by Devon County Council teaching accredited and recreational courses in floristry, flower arranging and floral design. Today she runs her own successful floral business creating beautiful innovative designs with flowers.

Carolyn is also a professional and enthusiastic florist.  Carolyn qualified in teacher training at Bicton College and taught floristry for over 8 years.  She has owned and run 3 local florists shops, but now works from home, specialising in wedding floristry.

Their first arrangements were designs for new babies.   Susan began the evening creating a wonderful novel arrangement in a basket, using a background of blue spring flowers and eucalyptus.  At the front she carefully placed 14 white carnations, together with a blue bow and readymade eyes and nose.  You could hear the oohs and ahhs as she turned the arrangement towards the audience to display a cute white dog, all made from flowers. 

Carolyn followed this with her new baby girl design.  In a pretty pink china pot she placed tall pussy willow, looping some over into the oasis, pink carnations, lisianthus, local grown viburnham, gypsophilia (baby’s breath) dyed pink, a double headed pink lily and completed the arrangement with a tiny pink bird windmill.

Susan went on to make a spring bouquet using pink tulips, solidago, hypericum berries, pink roses and yellow spray carnations.  To this she added her own unique recycled pink buttons and beads on tall wired sticks.  Susan explained that many brides request a piece of personal jewellery from loved ones to be placed in their bouquets.   She finished with eucalyptus to hide the stems, giving the arrangement a collar and then wrapped ribbon round the remaining stems.

Next a stunning Valentine gift idea.  Carolyn threaded a thick red wire through the heads of 21 carnations, tied the ends of the wire together and formed it into a large heart shape.  Grouping the stems, she placed a beautiful pink rose down through the centre of the heart, fixing it in the top left corner, with a diamante pin in its centre to add sparkle and interest.  Round the outside of the heart shaped carnations she layered laurel leaves and then added two-tone pink tissue paper and cellophane, with a double layer on the base forming an aqua pack.  To finish she placed the aqua pack in a specially designed pink box and added ribbon. 

Lastly, Carolyn quickly showed us how to design a silk flower arrangement with a dogwood frame on a black platter, using red roses and two-tone pink orchids, which gave it an oriental feel. A very pretty, long lasting, quick creation!

It was wonderful to see the detailed work and creativity that goes into the running of a successful florist.  A most delightful, informative and enjoyable evening.  The members’ subject was ‘New Beginnings’ and results were: Novice: gold – Anne Whiteway and Jane Mason.  Intermediate: silver – Helen Griffiths.

Advanced: gold – Margaret  Cladingboel, silver – Susan Oliver.

Next meeting will be held on Monday 24^th March at the Courtnay Centre, Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot.   Come along and enjoy a fun and entertaining evening and see the magic of flower arranging unfold before your very eyes.  Doors open at 6.30pm for refreshments and the show starts at 7.30pm.