DUE to the very sad event of September 8 it was obviously with a very heavy heart that Crediton Flower Club’s evening began and a two minute silence was held as a mark of respect.

You could be forgiven for wondering how on earth a flower demonstration entitled “The Magic of Black” could be possible but our demonstrator Christine Harrington from Liskeard certainly showed us that it was!

Christine had recently won a First at the Area Show and also, together with a fellow flower arranger, won a Gold and People’s Choice Award at the recent Malvern Show so we knew we were in for a treat.

She had decided to use black for her drapes, containers and other equipment to make the colours of the flowers used really stand out.

A beautiful example of the effectiveness of this was her first design where against a black wooden grid the blue campanula, yellow roses, solidago and yellow helenium resulted in a very uplifting design.

Next came a window box made from a old wine crate salvaged from a skip, again in black, filled with a wonderful medley of pom-pom dahlias in all colours against a background of pittosporum and St John’s Wort.

Christine touched on Autumn next with a beautiful design in a black square shaped container placed on a small black table. She used lovely beech and acer foliage to set off red Naomi roses and gorgeous Tom Pearce chrysanths. The result was stunning.

Black and white was the next choice – with a round black table and container contrasting vividly with beautiful white gladioli and orchids on a base of fatsia leaves. Vertical black medolino sticks completed the design.

The finale was set on a rectangular upright support made from insulation board (again found in a skip!) and painted black of course, which stood on a black plinth.

The rectangular arrangement contained creamy white lizianthus and beautiful pink roses all cut short to display the vertical design.

Completing the picture were two small round placements linked by medolino sticks, pink this time. The result was magical.

Mary Nunn proposed the vote of thanks to Christine for bringing the “Magic of Black” to life.

The next meeting will be the Club’s AGM in the Boniface Centre, Crediton on Thursday, October 13 at 7.15pm. This will be followed by a cheese and wine supper.

Ellie Taylor