Blog 3 - Harrogate Flower Show - THIRD PLACE
A Magical Spring Meadow at the Harrogate Flower Show - 3rd Place!
Well, this is something totally new and incredibly exciting for me—I'm thrilled to announce that I won 3rd place at the Harrogate Flower Show! To be honest, entering a competition wasn’t something I planned on doing so soon, but when the opportunity arose, I thought, why not give it a go? So, I entered the "Spring Meadow" category and let my creativity flow.
What is a Spring Meadow?
The challenge was to create our own interpretation of a spring meadow. At first, I found myself a little unsure of how to approach this—after all, a spring meadow is just that: a spring meadow. But as I dove deeper into research, I realized I had the opportunity to turn this into something magical, capturing the transition from one season to the next.
Finding Inspiration
My journey started with a deep dive into images of spring meadows. I found that I wasn’t drawn to the typical, upright grassy meadows that most people think of. Instead, I wanted to create something that conveyed movement—something that captured the energy and flow of the changing seasons. Below are a few inspiration pictures I drew from. (these are not my images)
Design and Materials
After sketching out a few ideas, I set off to gather materials. I found some large, gnarled sticks and twigs that had unusual shapes and curves. These pieces added a mystical, almost magical element to my design. I placed them on a board and even incorporated a mirror. The mirror, I thought, would represent water—a reflection of the season’s awakening. The irregular shapes of the sticks added to the sense of change, movement, and transformation.
Creating the Piece
A spring meadow symbolizes the awakening of a new season, and I wanted my design to reflect that. To do this, I decided to incorporate both dried elements and fresh, vibrant flowers. On the left side of the piece, I added dried elements—these represented the remnants of the old season, the lingering coolness of winter. As my design moved to the right, I transitioned into bright, colourful flowers—representing the vibrant energy of spring coming to life.
The mirror in the centre provided a sense of balance between these two worlds, acting as a reflective element between the stillness of winter and the bursting energy of spring.
A New Adventure in Floristry
This competition was an incredible learning experience, and I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something new. I can't wait to continue exploring fresh ideas and sharing my floral designs with you all.
