‘Rhapsody of Flowers’ a flower demonstration by Sue Spencer
Monday 21st March at 7.30pm with refreshments following the demonstration
Haworth Road Methodist Church

MINUTES OF THE CLUB MEETING HELD ON MONDAY
21 MARCH 2016 AT HAWORTH ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

1 In Attendance: there were 62 members and 4 guests in attendance.

2 Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

3 Apologies – Muriel Spencer-Wilcock, Norma Dobney, Pat Trueman, Pat Turner.

4 Correspondence and Notices – Chair announced the following:
• Spring Flower Competition – Chair asked members to use their bead to vote for their favourite arrangement on the way out after the demonstration. The winner to be announced at the next meeting.
• Christmas Quiz – Joyce Bonham and Brenda Dixon were given their prizes
• Club Luncheon – this will be held once again at the Cleckheaton Golf Club on Sunday 8 May. Members were asked to see Vivienne if they haven’t received their invitation.
• Easter Craft Workshop – thanks and a small gift were given to Helen Reynolds and Eulie Henriques for their work at the successful workshop held on 20 March.
• Information Desk – National and Area news notices are on the information board along with our club news and competitions. Members were asked to take time to have a look at these.
• Lost Property – a pair of black wool gloves was handed in last month. Members were asked to see Chair if they were theirs.
• Garden Party – A very kind offer has been received from Lisette Suree to hold a garden party at her home in Bingley. This will take place on Wednesday 29 June in the afternoon. A poster is displayed on the notice board with further information. Tickets will be sold at the next club meeting.

5 Demonstrator – Chair introduced Sue Spencer with her title ‘Rhapsody in Flowers’. Sue’s demonstration was full of fun and amusing anecdotes. Her flowers and foliage were stunning with very creative displays.

• Sue’s first arrangement was created in a black urn. Palm was placed upright in the container with 4 lilac stems erect and coming down through the palm. Foliage used was Arum leaves and Skimmia with polyanthus and moss at the back to cover the oasis. The flowers used were daffodils, orange ranununculas, pink heathers, pink hellebores, and double white hellebores which were grouped throughout the display with viburnum tynas with a sweet scent to finish. The urn was then placed on top of two wooden crates. Sue filled the spaces in the crates with polyanthus, a container with a bouquet of gerbera and finally some Easter eggs and a wicker bird.

• A 6’ high metal stand (previously a lamp stand) was used next with contorted hazel and two oasis dishes one placed near the top and the other in the centre of the stand. Sue worked on the top dish first, placing folded cordeline, red carnations and red gerbera. A stunning green orchid was then placed horizontally outwards from the dish. A second arrangement in the central dish was arranged to counterbalance the top placement. To complete the display, Sue uncovered another arrangement at the base of the stand using the same foliage and flowers but with wool-covered circles placed for effect.

• The third arrangement was produced using a beautiful light coloured piece of wood. This had red chrysanthemums placed into the crevices in the wood. Fir and variegated laurel made the outline at the base and sunflowers coming through the wood from the top. Long-stemmed orange/yellow ‘Outlaw’ roses, green dianthus with white hypericum and tree ivy completed the display.

• A large circle of wooden woven branches on top of a circular container was the base for the next arrangement. Folded Aspidistra and fatsia leaves covered the base and ten beautiful long-stemmed Longiflorum Lilies were placed in an upright group in the centre of the base. Gypsophilia heads were placed in the centre and the arrangement completed with stems of chinchin flowers below the lilies.

• The final placement was created in a grey metal urn with the arrangement shaped horizontally with eucalyptus leaves as the horizontal outline. Folded aspidistras were placed in the back with clipped-edge fern as the greenery. The flowers used were pink longiflorum heads, dark raspberry-coloured roses, red alstremera, purple stocks, violet scabious, purple anenomes, pink roses and finally pink tulips were hung down one side. To complete the final staging Sue produced a second larger urn to complement the first which completed a spectacular display in the centre stage. The whole staging looked magnificent which was appreciated by the audience.

Joyce Longthorn gave the vote of thanks.

6 Flower Dip
1) Catherine Slack 7) Pam Walker
2) Jean Lee 8) Joyce Boonham
3) Hazel Keningham 9) Jennifer Bright
4) Janet Walsh 10) Rachel Wickham
5) Pat Rhodes 11) Dorothy Syree
6) June Wood

Chair announced our next meeting will be on 18 April when the demonstrator will be Kate Riley with her title ‘Designs for Now’. The meeting closed at 9.25. Members were invited to refreshments and reminded to vote for their favourite arrangement and wished a safe journey home. Volunteers were asked to help clear the stage.