Roundhill Flower and Garden Club

April took us back to our regular floral demonstrations, this time by Gill Mills from Stapleford (Notts), with the title The Music of Flowers.
All floral designs interpreted some aspect of music, be it an individual song title; the collective theme of particular songs; a musical instrument; the compilation of music itself; plus sounds from nature which have their own form of ‘music’.
Gill began with the compilation of music, explaining how its structure contains many of the elements and principles of design also applied to the creation of a floral arrangement. Rhythm is the most obvious of these, which she portrayed by the swirling placement of flowers, foliage, and midelino sticks within a tall arrangement set on top of a high glass vase.
Pink carnations formed a stepped line down from the centre, before splitting into three separate rows, forming sections within the design. Each of those three sections were filled with aspidistra leaves which had been twisted and curled, plus small lime green button chrysanthemums.
To complete the effect, pink midelino sticks were inserted and swirled up and down to emphasise the flow of music.
Another floral arrangement depicted church music, with flowers and foliage set in a fluted vase reminiscent of organ pipes.
The song, ‘In an English Country Garden’ was interpreted by a design using garden flowers in shades of pinks, blue, mauve, and yellow, set in a flat woven basket.
Love songs were represented by a twin arrangement in red containers and using red flowers, all placed between two large, ornate hearts made by Gill out of decorative wires and beads.
Percussion instruments were illustrated by another twin arrangement, this time in shades of yellow and copper. All flowers were rounded in their shape, hinting at drumsticks.
To close the evening, music occurring in nature, such as that from a waterfall, was portrayed by two matching arrangements which utilised massed white gypsophila cascading from tall galvanised containers, interspersed with shades of blue, mauve and grey.