“With my demonstration this evening, I hope I have inspired you to make different kinds of arrangements from the more original ones” said Mrs Janet Chew from Lostwithiel at the end of the July meeting held on Monday, July 7 at The Ord Statter Pavilion.

Janet’s first arrangement depicted the First World War, in which she placed a cross of dried twisted willow into a container containing barbed wire. She placed deep red carnations and roses amongst dried fern and dried eucalyptus leaves and beside the arrangement she laid a 1914 helmet, a Union Flag and a lighted candle, most moving.

Her second arrangement was a woodland scene of purple irises, yellow roses and cream freesias set asymmetrically.

Janet then produced a most beautiful Grecian urn into which she placed tropical leaves amongst other foliage and added two large pink hydrangeas to one side with a deep pink flecked spray orchid and small pink spray carnations flowing down to the opposite side. Janet gave the advice of immersing the heads of hydrangeas into water for at least two hours for them to last longer.

Her fourth arrangement was most unusual, being a plant pot at the base and then she had inserted four smaller plant pots, all spayed blue and pink, ascending on a central bamboo stick at different angles. Into each one she inserted small-headed pinky/orange coloured roses and blue eucalyptus leaves to tone in with the pots.

Her last arrangement was double sided and consisted of a wooden steamer basket placed on its side on a large bamboo tray. She placed exotic tropical flowers, amongst which were gingers and strelitzia, and leaves one side and on the reverse, added large green chrysanthemums and Chinese dragons, these being phormium leaves split and plaited to look like dragons. She then added a “stir fry” of fresh vegetables into the arrangement.

The winners of the competition, Two’s Company, - Novice: 1, Alvina Menary; Advanced: 1, Anne Redgrave; 2, Jean Frith; 3, Irene Gardiner.

There will not be a meeting in August. For information please telephone either Jean Frith on 01326 372071 or Margaret Underwood on 01326 312499.