Kate's 1st arrangementKate's 1st arrangement

June, our last meeting for the season, and we were delighted to welcome back Kate Kerr from Dumfries with her demonstration title “Playing with the Palette”. Kate had kindly stepped in as our June Demonstrator after both our original Demonstrator, and her replacement, were unable to come to Aberdeen.

 

 

 

Kate’s first arrangement was an artist’s palette in a selection of muted shades. Hosta and eucalyptus provided a base of greys and height was added with blue lupin. Soft tones of Rosa “Sweet Avalanche” and spires of veronica were placed into the arrangement and cream gerbera brought lightness to the colours. A “brush” of dried grasses, together with leaf-covered balls, one of which had a section cut out and filled with limonium (statice), added alternative textures to a charming arrangement. The image to the right shows this to its best advantage.

 

 

Kate's 2nd arrangement

 

A long pink trough was the container for the next arrangement, which had been inspired by standing stones that can be seen in many parts of Scotland. Broken and weathered shards of old fish-boxes provided the uprights, then both purple stocks and lilac stocks were arranged around the “stones”. Spheres of allium came through the design and a double lisianthus added yet another shape. The vivid green of alchemilla mollus and a striking carnation completed the arrangement.

 

Kate's 3rd arrangement

 

 

 

Left over wool and a striking turquoise container provided the mechanics for the next design. Kate had covered various sized hoops in leftover pink and white wools, which had been given a touch of sparkle with the addition of an occasional bead. What later turned out to be two BBQ candles, which matched the colour of the vase exactly, gave added height to what was already a tall container. Dicentra spectabilis, not something you often see in an arrangement, was threaded up through the rings and pale pink tulips draped downwards. Beautiful pink paeony just finished off the design.

 

 

Kate's 4th arrangement

 

 

We often learn new techniques or hear about new trends in arranging from our Demonstrators, and tonight was no exception. In Kate’s next design, the container had been completely made over by wrapping it in a greenish/gold fabric and draped with green pepe cones which had been threaded onto wire. Ladder fern was placed horizontally at one side and balanced by fatsia leaves at the other. Red anthurium flowed through the arrangement along with red gladioli and gerbera. The foliage of pierus forestii was placed throughout the design which gave a lovely movement to the completed arrangement.

 

 

 

Kate's 5th & final arrangement

 

 

For her final creation, Kate produced what looked like a nest of twisted aspidistra leaves and indeed that was what she had intended it to look like - she had been inspired by seeing stork’s on a recent visit to the Netherlands. Further cream and gold colours from Hosta “Bressingham Sunshine”, solidago, white gladiola, Anastasia chrysanthemums and yellow gerbera built up the design; cerise paeony and dark pink carnations gave a “wow” factor to this beautifully staged arrangement. Kate placed the larger arrangement on a stand decorated with mini bird nesting boxes and contorted twigs, and complemented it with a similar placement at the base of the stand.

 

Kate is a very talented floral Demonstrator and teacher. She has been invited, on behalf of SAFAS, to enter the WAFA elimination competition in London in October. We wish her every success with this and hope we might see her work in Dublin in 2014.