A MEETING held on April 14 at Wiveliscombe Junior School Hall Flora and Fauna was the title and Claire Foley the demonstrator. The club is very fond of this larger than life, very talented lady who set the theme for the evening by arriving clad in a colourful outfit in a mixture of floral and animal prints with floral boots to match.

The first design had a desert theme. Drift wood, sineccio and black pittisporum were used with wine and purple variegated leaves to form a horizontal base for russet red and orange gerberas. The fauna turned out to be a vulture! The demonstrator has quite a collection of soft toys from around the world and she used some of them in each of her arrangements.

A green bird, a ring tailed lemur and a large green snake adorned the next design which was set on a cleverly contrived moss tower; it’s amazing what you can do with a plastic pipe and a jig-saw if you have the imagination! Clematis armandii, cleverly curled laurel, hellebore and fatsia leaves were placed in three dishes set in the hollows and bright yellow lilies and gerberas added to the jungle look. A fourth placement made earlier was set at the foot.

The third theme was of a country lane but using florist flowers, as wild flowers are not supposed to be used in demonstrating. Claire had made a gate and set it with two miniature hay bales. Boughs of lichen covered lilac and small branches of yew represented trees. Then ivy, ferns, rubus and Arum italicum pictum leaves were used as a foil for purple liatris and bright peach carnations (think foxgloves and poppies) plus orange multi headed tulips and a delightful goat.

Another tower next, but this time made from a carpet tube covered in pink satin and mauve net. This had then had a naturally formed tube of twisted ivy root placed over it and the whole was swathed with a cleverly constructed garland of silver, pink and mauve fabric combined with lichen, small pine cones and beads. Two fabric filled cane spheres held ‘frothy’ arrangements in various shades of pink including lisianthus and Aqua roses.

A third placement was set at the foot and a fluffy, white, long limbed monkey hung from the top of this ethereal design.

For the final arrangement a horizontal metal container was set on a black base. Two cabbages, pine and ivy were used to give a Russian flavour. Spires of black painted bamboo, a selection of foliages (including begonia leaves which apparently grow in Siberia), white iris, chincharees and white freesias were then used and yet another placement set to the front right. An enormous white tiger was then produced to lie in front of the stunning green and white display. A fun ending to a fun evening that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Next month’s demonstrator is Janice Cock, a popular and regular visitor to the club. This time her title is “Floral Fusion” – intriguing.