Flower Arranging II

Status:	Active, open to new members
Coordinator:	Mandy Radford Collumbell
When:	Monthly on Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm 4th Thursday
Venue:	Springfield Street Community Centre

Welcome

A creative, confidence‑building space for everyone who loves flowers, whether you’re a complete beginner, a curious dabbler, or someone with years of arranging experience tucked under your apron.

Our group is built on a simple idea - we learn best when we learn together. Members bring a wonderful mix of abilities, ideas, and creative flair, and we celebrate that variety. Those with more experience are delighted to share their tips, tricks, and techniques, while newer members are encouraged to explore, experiment, and grow at their own pace. Every voice matters, every style is welcome, and every arrangement, no matter how simple or bold, is part of our shared journey.

What We Aim to Do
* Deepen our collective knowledge and understanding of flower arranging
* Build on the skills already held within the group
* Encourage and support members who are completely new to the craft
* Create a friendly, relaxed environment where creativity can bloom

How the Group Works
Although the group is self‑led, we work together to shape each month’s theme. Members take turns leading a session, sharing a technique, demonstrating a design, or guiding the group through a creative challenge. It’s a gentle, supportive rotation, and a wonderful way to build confidence while contributing to the group’s growth.

Workshops
As part of our programme, we’ll also enjoy at least one workshop delivered by a professional florist. This may take place in our usual meeting space or at an alternative venue, and will incur an additional cost. These sessions offer a fantastic opportunity to learn from an expert and bring fresh inspiration back to the group.

If you love flowers, enjoy learning with others, and want to be part of a friendly, creative community, you’ll fit right in. Together, we’ll grow skills, share ideas, and let our arrangements and our confidence truly blossom.

Group Meeting Dates
We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month February to November 2pm - 4pm at the Springfield Street Community Centre. There is a small charge for meeting room space per member for the season.
Dates for 2026
26-Mar-26 / 23-Apr-26 / 28-May-26 / 25-Jun-26 / 23-Jul-26 / 27-Aug-26 / 24-Sep-26 / 22-Oct-26 / 26-Nov-26

Members Meetings

Member Meeting Reports

Flower Arranging II Group in Full Bloom - Mastering the Long & Low
Thursday 23 April 2026

Click Me . . .

There are moments when a room quietly transforms into a garden, and this session was one of them.

The newly formed Flower Arranging II Group gathered with armfuls of blooms and a generous tangle of foliage, ready to shape something both elegant and expressive. Under the thoughtful guidance of Lisa and Cath, the group turned their attention to the art of the long and low table arrangement; a style that whispers rather than shouts, designed to flow gracefully along a table without ever interrupting conversation or sightlines.

The process began with the foundation: a foam block, carefully prepared and brought to life with a rich tapestry of greenery. Conifer, tree ivy, choisya, photinia red robin, rosemary, eucalyptus, laurel, and fatsia leaves were layered with intention, creating a lush, structured base - like building a forest floor before the flowers take their stage.

From there, the arrangements began to find their voices. Bold chrysanthemums and striking alliums took centre stage as focal flowers, while a supporting cast of roses, carnations, gypsophila, and additional chrysanthemums added softness, texture, and rhythm. Each participant followed the same framework, yet no two designs were alike. Some arrangements stretched elegantly like a quiet landscape; others danced with bursts of colour and movement. It was a reminder that floristry lives somewhere between technique and intuition.

What emerged across the room was a collection of stunning, individual interpretations, each one a small, living sculpture.

There was laughter, concentration, the occasional stem reconsidered and repositioned and, ultimately, a shared sense of achievement. The group didn’t just learn a new style - they mastered it.

We now look forward to the next creative chapter on 28th May, when Julie will lead the group in a session inspired by supermarket flowers, proof that beauty can be found (and crafted) anywhere with the right eye and a little imagination.

Until then, may your tables be long, your arrangements low, and your creativity always in bloom.

May’s Flower Arranging Group II meeting bloomed into a wonderfully spirited and imaginative afternoon, centred around our cheerful theme- transforming humble jam jars, tin cans, bottles, jugs and assorted containers into decorative floral displays bursting with personality and charm.

The challenge carried one important rule - no member could spend more than £5 on flowers. Garden foliage, however, could be gathered freely, encouraging everyone to forage creatively from hedgerows, borders and back gardens. What followed was a delightful celebration of ingenuity, sustainability and artistic flair.

Members arrived armed with ribbons, fabrics, lace, twine, paint, beads and an assortment of embellishments. Before long, the room became a whirl of colour, texture and happy concentration. Laughter floated between the tables as plain containers were transformed into whimsical little treasures, each reflecting the personality and imagination of its creator.

Conversations blossomed just as freely as the flowers themselves, with discussions on aesthetic styling, colour blending, balance and the emotional moods created by different floral combinations. Some arrangements evoked cottage-garden romance, others carried vibrant contemporary energy, while a few captured the simplicity of rustic countryside charm.

The finished displays were truly enchanting. Fragrant flowers mingled with fresh greenery to create sensory arrangements filled with warmth and joy. Despite the modest budget, the overall effect was abundant, rich and uplifting, proving that creativity and thoughtful design matter far more than extravagance.

The afternoon was not only a celebration of flower arranging, but also of friendship, sustainability and shared inspiration. The “Fiver Challenge” proved to be an enormous success and was enthusiastically agreed to be a theme well worth repeating again and again in future meetings.

A small budget, a handful of flowers, and a room full of imagination created something wonderfully memorable.