IT IS so lovely to be enjoying the long days and pleasant weather of summer, and the evidence of hard work in our gardens displaying bright and cheerful blossoms on a canvas of green foliage. For most of us in Knaresborough Flower Club, gardening is the first step, and bringing that beauty into our homes is a way of adding our own creative expression to that beauty.

When Jo Pickering brought an abundance of plants from her nursery on Forest Moor to share, and sell at our meeting in May, we had a wonderful opportunity to add to collections in our garden.

To top that off, Jean Locke set about to demonstrate the many clever and amazing ways in which plant materials can be manipulated and reconfigured to enhance both the interest and framework of a floral arrangement.

Jean’s soft laugh and sense of humor were a wonderful addition to her instruction, and all of us had an opportunity to do some manipulating and practicing with a variety of plant material, ourselves!

It was a very good evening, and all the laughter burned off the extra calories we’d consumed in our refreshments.

There are many opportunities arising for members to share their flower arranging talents.

Avril McDonald, and a small group of ladies contributed an arrangement to represent KFC at Ripon Cathedral on June 20.

We have once more been asked by the Country Land Association to do their marquee for the Yorkshire Show in July, and the Autumn Flower Show in Harrogate has invited KFC to do a non-competitive arrangement entitled Fleet Street which will fit with the theme of Old London Town.

All volunteers are being welcomed and encouraged to become involved in the creative process. Please give Dorothy Gerrard or Trish Hullah a call.