FLOWER ARRANGING COMMITTEE is a department of Cape Fear Garden Club, Inc. according to Article XI, Section 3 of the 2016 Amended By-Laws. The Flower Arranging Department shall educate, train and encourage flower arranging workshops, presentation and judging based on the rules of the district, state, and national garden clubs. Plus, shall recommend and assist in a Standard Flower Show at least once every five years in compliance with the rules of the Garden Club of North Carolina. The Flower Arranging Chair shall encourage study, display, and arrangement of floral materials. His/her committee shall decorate for the Christmas Tea and the May Luncheon. In addition, the Chair shall serve on the Program Committee which is a Standing Committee according to Article XII, Section 1. The Program Committee shall provide programs for the monthly general meetings. Flower Arranging Committee members will provide flower arrangements for the refreshment table at all general meetings. Moreover, Ribbon Cutting Decoration Coordination for the Azalea Garden Tour is led by the Chair of the Flower Arranging Committee and her committee members.
Tools of the Trade
Putting together a basket of necessary equipment, you will need the following: Scissors, clippers, long bread type knife, short paring knife, thin paddle of green floral wire, needlepoint holder or frog, waterproof floral clay, wet type floral foam or trade name Oasis, chicken wire, floral water tubes, wooden picks, toothpicks, skewers, 12 inch length of green floral wire, green and clear floral tape, U shaped floral pins, fishing line, wire cutters, ice pick, straight pins, short ruler, rocks, marbles, clear cellophane, candle lighter, straws box cutter, thorn and stem stripper, Oasis floral glue, hammer, McCormick Alum Powder.
Line Designs
The shape of your flora design, a visual path which your eye follows:
Flower Conditioning
Protecting the life of cut flowers. Using a product like Floralife, a powder, will prevent bacterial growth, keep flowers from opening too fast, and delay fading. To lower the pH add 3 heaping teaspoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vinegar to each quart of water.
Store bought flowers: Cut stem diagonally, 1 inch from the bottom, and place in tepid water with Floralife until ready for arrangement.
To check escape of milky juices, burn stem for 15 seconds, or put in boiling water for 3 minutes, being careful to protect foliage and flower heads from steam and heat of flame. This is used for poinsettias and hydrangeas, condition in cald water overnight.
Cut flowers from your garden very late in the afternoon and condition overnight or very early in the morning. Proper handling of some popular flowers, cut from your garden, used in arrangements, are listed below:
Azalea: Cut when bloom is ¾ open, split or crush stems, tepid water, keep bloom and foliage misted.
Camellia: Cut when blooms are just beginning to open, split stem, handle carefully, blooms tend to shatter easily, tepid water.
Chrysanthemum: Break stem ends, split large stem ends, tepid water.
Forsythia: Strip bottom 1 inch of bark with knife, split stem ends, tepid water.
Gerbera: Sear stem ends, wrap stem in wax paper to keep stem straight, stretch chicken wire over bucket and insert stem with head of flower resting on wire in tepid water with preservative containing sugar.
Gladiolas: Cut when 3-4 buds are open, split stem ends, tepid water.
Hydrangea: Split stems, sear, deep tepid water to which 2 tablespoons of vinegar has been added for each quart of water. If heads are wilted, submerge in cold water until crisp, mist with fine spray to keep fresh. Informational web site: www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/cut_dont_wilt.html
Lily: Split stem ends, remove foliage under water line, remove anthers to prevent pollen strain, tepid water.
Rose: Cut when second petal unfurls, split stem. Open a tightly closed rose by gently blowing on it, remove any foliage that will remain under water.
Tulips: Cut when in bud to half open. Wrap stems in newspaper, open at both ends. Secure with rubber bands. Place in deep water containing 1 tablespoon gin per quart overnight and keep in dark. Copper pennies placed in water seem to prevent flopping. Tulips always turn heads toward light after being cut.
Camellia: Cut when blooms are just beginning to open, split stem, handle carefully, blooms tend to shatter easily, tepid water.
Chrysanthemum: Break stem ends, split large stem ends, tepid water.
Forsythia: Strip bottom 1 inch of bark with knife, split stem ends, tepid water.
Gerbera: Sear stem ends, wrap stem in wax paper to keep stem straight, stretch chicken wire over bucket and insert stem with head of flower resting on wire in tepid water with preservative containing sugar.
Gladiolas: Cut when 3-4 buds are open, split stem ends, tepid water.
Hydrangea: Split stems, sear, deep tepid water to which 2 tablespoons of vinegar has been added for each quart of water. If heads are wilted, submerge in cold water until crisp, mist with fine spray to keep fresh. Informational web site: www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/cut_dont_wilt.html
Lily: Split stem ends, remove foliage under water line, remove anthers to prevent pollen strain, tepid water.
Rose: Cut when second petal unfurls, split stem. Open a tightly closed rose by gently blowing on it, remove any foliage that will remain under water.
Tulips: Cut when in bud to half open. Wrap stems in newspaper, open at both ends. Secure with rubber bands. Place in deep water containing 1 tablespoon gin per quart overnight and keep in dark. Copper pennies placed in water seem to prevent flopping. Tulips always turn heads toward light after being cut.
Resources: Locations to buy live flowers as well as mechanics:
Cut live flowers: Harris Teeter, Costco, Sam’s, Walmart, Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Lowes Foods, Fifty-Flowers (online).
Cut live flowers wholesale: Castle Hayne Farms, Castle Hayne Rd, North of GE and Spay and Neuter Clinic on left, 910-675-5763, ask for Wendell.
Dried Flowers:
Hammelmans, wholesale floral. 14477 Dominic Rd, NE, Mt. Angel, OR, 97362, 800-884-4730
Cramers Inc. 694 Kraybill Church Rd., Mt. Joy, PA 17552, 717-492-4952
Mechanics: Old Time Pottery, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Pottery Plus, AC Moore, www.wholsaleflowersandsupplies.com, Wildflower Seed and Tool Co., www.budable.com, www.save-on-crafts.com
Cut live flowers: Harris Teeter, Costco, Sam’s, Walmart, Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Lowes Foods, Fifty-Flowers (online).
Cut live flowers wholesale: Castle Hayne Farms, Castle Hayne Rd, North of GE and Spay and Neuter Clinic on left, 910-675-5763, ask for Wendell.
Dried Flowers:
Hammelmans, wholesale floral. 14477 Dominic Rd, NE, Mt. Angel, OR, 97362, 800-884-4730
Cramers Inc. 694 Kraybill Church Rd., Mt. Joy, PA 17552, 717-492-4952
Mechanics: Old Time Pottery, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Pottery Plus, AC Moore, www.wholsaleflowersandsupplies.com, Wildflower Seed and Tool Co., www.budable.com, www.save-on-crafts.com
Preparing Containers: Clean containers and needlepoints with hot sudsy water to which a little ammonia has been added. If using Oasis, soak it in fresh water with Floralife added. Make sure it is completely saturated. If you do not have Floralife, sugar or lemon soda can be used.
