Class Title: Creativity with Spathes
Staging: cube 60cm base, space allowed 1 metre square, judged all around
Spathes are large, leaflike, often showy bracts that encloses a flower cluster or spadix . They can be hard, as with the palm and bangalow, or what we would consider a flower, as with an arum lily or anthurium.
I have used a palm spathe as the base container with some foliage to lift the colours. This is placed on a silver baseboard to help with reflection of the design but not be an absolute mirror. (These boards are used as cake stands and can be purchased at a reasonable cost from packakging suppliers. They are very useful to keep with you in the event you need to lift your design slightly from the display bench.
Over the top of the design are two free standing bangalow spathes. These were thoroughly soaked in water until they were pliable enough to turn inside out to show the richness of the red and gold colouring on the inside of the spathe. Twisting through the design are my flowers/spathes of arums as well as some spot colour of gerberas. This design relies on strong colours and simple lines for its effect
Judges Feedback: This design placed second – the judge feeling that the foliage or flowers needed to be brought through the design as there was a gap on one side in the overall finish when viewed all around.
