v BRINGING THE GOOD NEWS TO YOU SINCE 1994 v 2nd April 2026 • The HERALD • Page 63 DOWN THE GARDEN PATH Blackfield Flower Club Members of Black eld Flower Club welcomed Mel Smith, area demonstrator, to their March meeting with a demonstration entitled ‘Beauty in Bloom’. Mel makes most of her containers and no longer uses green oral foam. e rst design was an interpretation of the Singapore Botanical Gardens using a frame made by Mel. Tree fern was used to represent the trees and then green dianthus inserted with an aspidistra leaf wrapped around this handtied bunch and placed in a tree stump which Mel had created. e Dubai Miracle Garden was the depiction for this design using a container made from orange, yellow, mauve and red felt. Abelia, tree fern, aspidistra, phoenix palms, fatsias and spotted laurel gave the outline before adding deep pink roses, orange ornithagalum, orange tulips and the nal touch, small sprays of deep pink pampas grass. A black boat-shaped container was used for this design interpreting the New York Botanical Garden. Aspidistra leaves and euonymous were placed low in the centre of the design and then phoenix palms, fatsia and tree fern to give height before adding white antirrhinums and ivory Avalanche roses and some dried lemon balm to add another texture to the design. Two large wooden clogs were the inspiration for this design depicting the Hortus Brittanicus in the Netherlands. Two small placements were created using dark blue delphiniums and orange roses. For this design a strawberry pot was used to create a pot-au- eur as an interpretation of Kew Gardens. Boston fern, cheese plant, abelia, tree fern and pale pink roses were added together with instructions on how to look a er the house plants. e nal design was an interpretation of the Disney Parks. Lots of plastic coloured balls provided the base for this design. Various types of foliage including ivy, laurel, fantail palms, aspidistra and tree fern were used. Dark red roses and orange jatropha were added. Finally, tiny Mickey and Minnie Mouse on sticks were inserted to complete the arrangement. e next meeting will take place on Tuesday 14th April at 2pm when the demonstrator will be Alison Finch and her title will be ‘Reasons to be Cheerful’ – visitors welcome, please contact Jan Gordon on: 023 8084 4835 for more details. Meetings take place at the Royal British Legion Club, Exbury Road, Black eld, SO45 1XD. Mel Smith
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