The Society was delighted to welcome, for the first time, Claire Bond from Birmingham with her theme Autumn Treasures. Claire is a florist and has been very interested in alternative mechanics to avoid using the non-biodegradable green oasis. Her arrangements were all based on either chicken wire in water, twigs or balls of moss in compostable bags.

First: Farewell to Summer. A hand tie based on a horizontal spray of twigs into which were inserted ivy trails, white perennial scabious, periwinkle stems, cornflowers, pink statice, pink cosmos, white dahlias and others of differing shades of pink, canary grass. All tied with string.

Second: Autumn 1. A scooped out pumpkin filled with chickenwire and moss around the edge into which were inserted fatsia leaves, trimmed aspidistras and manipulated aspidistras. Leucodendron, agastache, orange gerberas, rudbeckia, pittosporum and a magnificent spray of brown cymbidium finished off with delightful felt pumpkins on sticks.

Third: Hedgerow . A decorative wooden box lined with cellophane and chicken wire was the chosen container for this arrangement. Sprays of pittosporum, flat sheep moss, stems of wheat, canary grass, nigella seed pods, small Sonja sunflowers, yellow roses completed this attractive design with was complemented with a matching smaller one.

Fourth: Fireworks . A tall wooden vase filled with chicken wire was filled with mixed green foliage including privet around the base. Tall stems of cornus, orange and russet antirrinhums were added on different levels to achieve a vertical design. Grasses, cordyline, pink hypericum, Miss Piggy roses (apricot coral shade), strings of hypericum berries threaded on bullion wire together with lengths of sparkling bullion wire were wound around the arrangement from top to bottom.

Fifth: Autumn 2. An asymetric display in a large frame that had once held a mirror. The base was a large “egg tray” with a compostable food caddy bag filled with chicken wire and moss. Berried foliage, ivy trails stems of aucuba, green laurel, brown grasses “Hot Biscuit” amaranthus, Creme Brulee phlox, peach dahlias of different varieties.

Sixth: Jewelled Wreath. A large hoop of birch stems on a wooden base. A dish of moss covered in chicken wire supported stems of laurel, pittosporum, strings of ivy, hops and holly. To this were added large hot pink gerberas, leucodendron, dried poppy heads, purple statice, purple amaranthus and Naomi very dark red roses.

The Chairman Tineke Deuss thanked Claire for her very original demonstration using appropriately recyclable materials and gloriously coloured flowers. The arrangements were all raffled off and those present retired for afternoon refreshments.

The next Open Meeting for Monmouth Floral Society is the first of two Christmas demonstrations, on Wednesday 12th November when Liz Edwards will demonstrate “It’s beginning to feel likeChristmas”. All visitors are welcome: doors open at 1.45 pm.