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First World
Association of Flower Arrangers (WAFA) Show Held in USA
“I knew it would be big, but this is BIG!," exclaimed an astonished
FFGC State President, Jan Sillik. Along with Jan a group of 23
terrific travelers made an 8 day, 10 State, over 3000 mile motor coach
trip to the Boston area and the World Association of Flower Arrangers
(WAFA) Conference, held once every three years since the early eighties
and for the first time in the United States on June 16-19, 2011.
In addition to Jan FFGC members on the trip included Mary Lou Robinson,
Stephanie Furgueron and Carol Waters from the Jacksonville area garden
clubs, Cynthia Csikos, Carol Sunderhaus, Susan Voss, Clara Skipper,
Lynda Owens, Marion Dunn, Lana Arnold and Dora Jane Galloway from the
Tallahassee Garden Club and from the south Florida area, Louisa Foss,
Sandy Lynch, Barbara Hadsell, Rebecca Schuberth, Lenore Alford and
Elaine Waidelich.
Words that come to mind in describing the over 650 designs are
stunning, gorgeous, startling, dramatic, eye-catching, remarkable,
amazing, unbelievable, creative, gigantic, overwhelming, blinding,
special, outstanding, imaginative, ingenious, innovative and beyond
belief, but these simple words don’t begin to describe what was
seen. Minimal themes, for example, included Insects, Beasts,
Music, Candy, Wind, Reef, Wheels, Zipper, Fire, Mirage, Electricity and
X-Ray inspired these complex and creative designs from over 30
countries. In some classes, designers were given the same plant
material, containers, back drop and accessories and required to
complete a design within a 6 hour period on the Convention floor.
The inventiveness shown in the different designs with the same
materials was indescribable.
As President Sillik exclaimed, big does not begin to describe the show
and the designs. Spread out over a football field sized show area
were creations encompassing 10 feet squares, filled with gigantic
interlinking floral arrangements. To see wildly colorful “Beasts”
made of exotic plant material left viewers flabbergasted. Who
knew the fragile Gloriosa Lily with its shocking pink and vibrant
orange petals could be made to look both delicate and substantial en
mass?
“Are those real? Just how many colors do Anthuriums come in?” were
questions often heard on the Convention floor, as eyes saw pastel green
tinged with salmon edges or bright, lipstick orange
efflorescence. The big winner was a 4 foot in diameter hanging
silver globe, edged in silvery gray, soft Stachys leaves and suspended
with pale gray/green tinged purple gingers and Anthurium leaves and
flowers. Perhaps, most unusual among the many, many unusual
creations was the botanical jewelry made to look like insects, many
done with only plant material.
Along the way the group also visited national treasure gardens and
areas, including Winterthur house and gardens, Delaware home of Alfred
DuPont, with its historical gardens and a treasure trove of priceless
American antiques, featuring 67 pieces of President George Washington’s
dinner china and 6 silver steins made by Paul Revere. The Cape
Fear Museum was a sweet, lesser known museum in North Carolina,
showcasing a middle class home in the Victorian era. A stop at
the 1000 Gardens to See Before You Die fame, Richmond Botanical
Gardens, featured horticulture from the Southeastern United States,
including a bog garden, medicinal garden, children’s garden, old rose
garden, Lotus lake and perennial garden to name a few of the over 15
gardens there. The crowning jewel was a Victorian style glass
conservatory, filled with orchids and tropical plants. Who could make a
trip to New England without a visit to the Old North Church, John F.
Kennedy Library and the coastal area of Massachusetts?
A special thanks to Tallahassee Garden Club member and travel agent,
Shelley Atkinson, of Holiday Cruises & Tours (386-7327) for putting
together this MAGNIFICENT trip. Shelley is hard at work planning
more trips for garden club members and their friends and family, so
stay tuned for details on those trips. (Just a hint, tours of
gardens in the area around New Orleans, Savannah at Christmas time and
the once every ten year event, Floriade, http://www.floriade.com/ , in
the Netherlands are in the works!!!!)
Looking back on the trip the really special moments were those when we
shared our wonder and delight for gardens, horticulture and floral
designs with new and old friends who “get it” just as much as we do.
By Lana Arnold
President, Tallahassee Garden Club
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