WORTHINGTON — August brings us an abundance of flowers and greenery and a great time to make floral arrangements. The open class floriculture sweepstakes award category at the Nobles County Fair this year is an artistic arrangement. We would like to see many entries.
The following are some hints on how to create a successful floral arrangement. A requirement for our fair is that all plant material must be grown by the exhibitor. So, start looking around your yard and thinking about possible specimens to use.
Think of the arrangement as having a thriller, spiller and filler. The day before entering in open class at the fair, cut your flowers and greens preferably early in the morning, but evening works as well. Remove extra leaves and then re-cut them at a slant in the house.
I put them all in a sink of cool water with a mild dish soap to kill any bugs and then gently rinse them off. Next, put them in water for at least four hours. I use a five-gallon pail and some smaller containers for the smaller specimens.
You can also add plant food which is available at any floral store. When you are ready to make your arrangement, choose a container that best holds your specimens. The basics to remember in a flower arrangement is a filler which will be greens.
Start with greens in your container. I have used hosta leaves, boxwood from a shrub, tall iris leaves and any other greens that will add to the arrangement. ADVERTISEMENT Look around your yard for anything that will fill or spill in the arrangement.
They can be part of the spiller which goes over the side or at an angle. Then, choose a thriller. This could be the biggest and most beautiful flower or flowers, which catch the eye of the beholder.
Work with odd numbers. Maybe one thriller and then three or five other flowers or greenery. Be sure that none of your specimens have a defect like a hole, ragged edge or missing petal.
A good place for ideas is online. It is not rocket science, it is flower arranging to bring what you have grown outside to the inside to enjoy and enter at the fair for others to enjoy as well. I entered a 5- by 5-inch arrangement in a tiny cup with tiny greenery and flowers at the Fourth District Minnesota State Horticulture Convention.
To my surprise, I got a second place after the first place award went to a professional flower arranger. There were about six entries and all of them were beautiful. Open class entries may be brought to the open class building on the Nobles County Fairgrounds in Worthington from 6 to 8 p.
m. Monday, Aug. 5, and from 9 a.
m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 6. For those entering the first time, it is listed as Class 009, Lot 6, Exhibitor’s Choice.
For those who received a blue ribbon sticker in Class 009 previously, it is Class 010, Lot 6, Exhibitor’s Choice and for those who have received a blue ribbon sticker previously in Class 010, it is Class 011, Lot 6, Exhibitor’s Choice. We also have a division in potted plants which must be in your ownership at least two months before the fair opening. These can be blooming plants, foliage plants, or a patio planter.
Another division is cut flowers, which includes annuals, biennials, perennials, roses and grasses. Find the Open Class information online at https://fairentry.com/Fair/SignIn/20296 and then click on the Premium Book.
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