Port Elizabeth women dominate at international flower show

Flower arrangement is more than just pleasingly putting a bunch of flowers together — it is an art form.

So says Glenda Adams, one of five SA winners at the World Association of Floral Artists show held   in   India recently.

It takes technique, attention to detail and years of experience to become a world championship winning flower arranger, Adams said.

She and five other Port Elizabeth arrangers represented the SA Flower Union at the tri-annual show, with five of them returning with accolades.

Adams and Corrice Holmes presented a joint design under the theme “Savage Beauty” and were recognised three times for the best design in their section, best use of colour and best design on show across all sections.

“We had to produce designs that represent our own interpretation of savage beauty, so we used several plant materials to depict beauty and violence in one piece,” Adams said.

She said they had to channel ideas of famous designer of the 2011 Savage Beauty exhibition in New York, Alexander McQueen.

Fellow Algoa Floral and Garden Club members Jill Hoskin, Sandy Stretch, Sandy Venter and Gail Taverner also collected accolades in their different themed sections.

Stretch and Taverner placed second in the “Reels and Rolls” and “Peaceful Contemplation” sections respectively, while Hoskin walked away with two first-place prizes in the “Bird Song” section.

Stretch, owner of the Blush Design flower arrangements and design business, submitted a modern design to depict “Reels and Rolls” using plant material, veneer and anthuriums.

“We had to depict ‘Reels and Rolls’ in our own ways and there were about 13 people in our section with different interpretations.

“I’m very happy with my achievement,” Stretch, who had received a third-place trophy in the competition in Dublin in 2014, said.

Taverner depicted “peaceful contemplation” by fencing together reeds and telancia to create a feeling of peace.

“It’s such an exciting achievement because it’s not just about putting flowers together, but carefully interpreting a theme or a feeling and I’m honoured to receive an award for it on a world show.

“Showcasing my design alongside many other people from all over the world was a wonderful experience and a cause for much celebration for all of us,” Taverner said.

The women, aged 65 to 70, are floral art judges and members of the Algoa Floral and Garden Club, a community of plant enthusiasts who hold workshops, talks and demonstrations on gardening and floral art.

They presented at the show in Jaipur alongside representatives from 34 countries in 31 different sections.

The World Association of Floral Artists show is held in a different host country tri-annually.