This is another design from a National Orchid Show where we were invited to compete with designs to show how orchids could be used in floral art.
The bulk of the competition was for growers and producers of orchids.
The base of this design is an upturned palm spathe screwed to a piece of weathered wood. Inside the spathe I have placed some floral foam to position the foliage and orchids.
The foam is covered with dried sea grass and seaweed with some shells to add a touch of the sea. The danger with these designs is to overpower the plant material with “accessories” (or non plant material) such as the shells. There is also some dried sea grass at the top of the spathe for repetition. A very small amount of sand has been placed around the base of the foam and shells.
The plant material is sparse – looking to create a sense of a windswept beach so only two monsteria leaves with 5 stems of yellow oncidiums.
By placing the design at an angle in the space allocated, I have created a different sense of movement than you might get by having the design parallel to the front of the show bench. It is always important to try out the placement within your allocated space to get the most impact from your design.
This design placed First.
Judges comments: The sweeping shape of the palm spathe resembles a wave which sets the tone for the rest of the design. Good choice of colour and size of the orchids kept the design light and airy. Any other orchids would have dominated and detracted from the “seaside” feel of the design.
