The evening began with the presentation of a cheque for £500 to Liz Tait of the ‘Friends of Dr. Gray’s’ for their bi-centennial appeal. Liz then said a few words about their appeal. This was followed by the AGM at which there were 4 new members elected to the committee and a re-shuffle of office bearer.

Then the interesting part of the evening: the demonstration by Mr. John Dalton entitled ‘Flowers for summer’. He had asked the club to provide foliage and was presented with a stunning selection, which he used to great advantage and panache in each design.

He started with a low triangle in a tall urn using pink phlox and lavender roses. Next was an all round low arrangement in a large flat container into which he introduced an unusual rose called bright eyes complemented with orange gerbera.

Next we were treated to a stunning extra large gold container with extra large foliage, Charlotte chrysanthemums, and deep purple gerbera. This was followed by a window box style design with orange roses and purple scabies and gerbera.

The final show stopper was a tall pedestal with lavender coloured campanula and carnations with pink antirrhinums, stocks, red roses and scabies. The stage was ablaze with summer flowers colours and smells.

Derek Morgan, Tuesday 7^th May 2019

Derek gave a very entertaining demonstration entitled ‘Fierce Creatures’

The opening arrangement featured 2 twisted pieces of plant material indicating horns so we were able to guess that the fierce creature was a bull. As he produced a striking arrangement with red carnations, gerberas, and roses he regaled us with a story of his youthful encounter with a bull.

Next were insects as their sting can be fierce. Here he used large yellow chrysanthemums, roses, gerberas, and solidago.

Fierce creature number three was a rabbit, told with a design in white and pink using eustoma, roses, liatris, carnations, and alstroemeria.

The next interpretation was a deer, using a tall container with mixed foliage strelitias, orange roses and gerberas.

Another tall container and black foliage represented a panther seen on the Cumbrian hills. This was an all round design with pink spray carnations, gerberas, and alstoemaria, because everyone knows panthers are pink!

The final display was all white using flocked twigs anthuriums, lilies, roses, and carnations.

Sandra began with a striking white, green, and black vertical design using white lilies, carnations, and roses with black manipulated aspidistra leaves and black sisal covering the oasis. This featured a vertical design with a collar of origami paper covering the oasis complemented by yellow roses and blue iris and enhanced with a second placement.

Next she used a tall container as the platform for a horizontal design with liatris, tulips, dark pink gerbera, and small green spray chrysanthemums. This formed a long low arrangement with dark leaves and sunflowers cut short to give impact complemented by orange leucospermum and green orchids.

The central arrangement was a triangle with coral coloured roses and soft peach carnations completing a pleasing stage of colour and impact.

The chairman gave the vote of thanks.