Our March demonstration 'Around the World' by Lesley Sturdy

3 March 2022

​On 3 March our demonstrator was Lesley Sturdy from Luton.  Lesley is not only a long-standing Club member but also a NAFAS Area Demonstrator, teacher, trainer of flower arranging judges and a national and international flower arranging judge.  Lesley and her husband had a three month world trip when they retired and all the above interests and travels were illustrated in her demonstration entitled “Around the World”.

​Her first demonstration was a seascape to illustrate her trips to the South Seas and the Caribbean where she was called upon to judge the flowering arranging World Show at very short notice.  She also talked about the wonderful gardens, plants and flowers she had seen in both these areas.

​Next we were off to New Zealand with a white arrangement of roses and carnations which looked like a glacier sliding down a large piece of driftwood. 

​A long horizontal arrangement was added above – New Zealand being known as “the land of the long white cloud”.





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            Palm leaves and orchids
            brought us to Singapore












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​Then we were off to India which she first visited to train flower arranging judges before the World Show held there in 2020.  This was a vibrant arrangement of orange mini gerbera, red roses and purple lisianthus. She remarked on the wonderful hospitality and generosity she had received during several visits to India.

She then talked about her many family holidays in France while arranging a spiral of yellow roses with manipulated aspidistra leaves and gypsophila.  Her final arrangement reflected her love of period flower arranging and design.  She used a vase that had belonged to the great flower arranger, Constance Spry, as part of a design from the end of the Victorian era. 

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​During the demonstration Lesley told us that it was her last demonstration to our Club as she is shortly retiring from demonstrating.  She has been a major part of the flower arranging world for many years and will be missed by all.  We wish her a long and happy retirement and look forward to seeing her as a member of the audience at our Club.
 
Our next meeting  is on 7 April when we welcome Barbara Collins with  her demonstration 'Brighter Days are Coming'