Tony Tedesco creates cascade designs

Hello to all,

As you know, there have been several new designs introduced to garden clubbers over the past few years.  I was privileged to see Francis Thrash demonstrate how to craft several of them (view in an older post), and now want to show you a few by Tony Tedesco.    I ran across two photos online of Tony’s cascade designs and post these for your interest.  When I spoke with Tony a few years ago, he gave me permission to post his designs on my blog and I am very grateful for his gracious approval.  (Thanks, Tony).  I hope you enjoy his fabulous talent in these examples.  More to follow.....

June Garrett demonstrates designs

The Chester Garden Club has held two mini workshops with designs demonstrated by our own June Garrett.  She is a master judge emeritus and has been an active member for many decades.  She volunteered to show some of our newer members how to create a transparency design and also a small design with the dimensions of 9x4x3.  Below are her designs and a pic of June too.  Please look to the pages on the right side of this article to view photos of different types of floral designs.

A Stabile Kinetic design by Sally Seward



Hello All,

A new page, finally, for the Garden Club blog.  It’s been a while and I’ ve been building up photos and ideas for us to chat about and here we go.

Today’s post is about a Stabile Kinetic design.  I was unable to find a definition for this dual design type, but have included the NGC rules for each.

Kinetic
An abstract design with real (mobile) or implied (stabile) movement.

Stabile
A creative design with a fixed base, but motion is implied. The direction may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal
and must be dynamic or flowing. The sense of movement is achieved by the selection of components and a very
restrained used of plant material. The design may rise from a container, stand alone on a pedestal or table‐top,
be suspended from a base, or stabilized in another creative manner. All components including the base and
mechanics should contribute to this dynamic feeling of implied motion.
Plant Material: Ferns, grasses, or vines are some examples of plant material that could be used to imply motion.

Virginia Historical Garden Week

Our state has the distinct privilege to host an annual Garden Week that falls on the third week of April.  Communities all over Virginia have House and Garden Tours to support this wonderful springtime celebration.  The village of Chester in Chesterfield County is participating by hosting a exhibit display at the Chester Library.  It will run throughout Garden Week from April 21- 28.  The Chester Garden Club will form two groups who will display designs and horticulture.  I will be posting photographs of these entrees as we go along.  The first blog post will showcase designs.

The designers are from top to bottom:  Phillipa Smith, Margi Fox, JanNiefeld, Sue Thompson, Winnie Fornash, and two designs by Sue Thompson

Easter or Spring Floral Designs our Arrangements March 2018

As you know, the creative drive comes of its own free will.  Here in central Virginia, we had three inches of snow yesterday, but I woke up with a startling thought that Easter is only two weeks away, even if snow is on the ground.  I have brought out my goodies and have tried to do different groupings throughout our home.  We will see how it goes.  I have a habit of moving things around all of the time.  It’s fun!!  I plan to make fresh floral designs as well and started looking for photo inspirations for Springtime.  Below are some designs that I have found on the internet.  I do not know who created them so I cannot give them credit.  Hope you are as inspired as I am.

Garden Club Dried Floral Designs Feb 2018

As you know, there are some great designs made of dried plant material.  If we look at the ones made with driftwood, for example, the container (driftwood) becomes a piece of art supporting the design.  I will do an article before too long on using driftwood, but for now, let’s focus on regular designs using dried plants.  Our club had a design category that called for this type of material.  Below you will see mostly traditional arrangements.  Hopefully, you can be inspired when you create a dried flower arrangement.

Garden Clubbing.... Let’s Begin. Novice Class

Our Club, as well as yours, I’m sure, have designers that are very skilled at arranging complicated and sophisticated designs.  The ability to take just a few items and turn them into works of art is something they do well.  The Chester GC is blessed to have four master judges in our ranks and they truly are able to make lovely arrangements.  But, we also have a good many novices that are intimidated by it all and so we have created a Novice Class that is mentored by one of the judges.  She has developed a schedule for the club year that progresses through the traditional design types and they meet the day before the monthly club meeting to put them together.  For two years they progress through this class then they advance to the regular schedule.  It works beautifully and creates a cohesiveness in the new members too.  I have created a page on Pinterest that showcases different types of beginning designs.  The Page is called.   Garden Club... Let’s Begin.  I will post the following designs onto that page as well.