FROM putting together flower arrangements to watering local community gardens, Jeannie Finlayson enjoys all things floral and creative.
She has always helped and taught others and about eight years ago, Jeannie founded the Swan Hill Floral Art Group.
The group has grown to about 15 members and attracts people from as far as Hay.
The group’s most recent achievement was a third place result at the Melbourne International Flower Show.
Putting together large leaf-like sculptures made from wax and nori, group members Trish Witney and Kerri Bookham then decorated the leaves with a range of flowers.
“It took us around 100 hours to make it all and design it,” Trish said.
With Kerri living in Bendigo and Trish from Lake Boga, the team did a lot of travelling between each other’s houses to put the arrangement together.
Trish said Kerri did the floral side of things, while she pieced together the large leaves.
The final product stood at an impressive 1.8m high.
Along the way, they were mentored and encouraged by Jeannie, who helped them “immensely”.
“She is great in telling you how to fix something without making you feel bad,” Trish said.
“She was just wonderful.
“She knows just so much and so many different techniques that she has always been able to teach us.
“She always finds the time to help everyone and is just so giving and patient and spends a lot of time doing things for other people.”
When it comes to the group’s monthly meetings, Jeannie always comes with a large amount of new information.
With floral workshops held around the state, Jeannie is always in attendance, relaying back the information she learns to the group.
“She is such an inspiration,” Trish said.
“There is a lot of common flowers used and leaves, but it is all about the different ways that you can use them.”
As well as gaining ideas from workshops, Trish said the team also regularly looked at books and magazines for ideas.
“The floristry industry put a lot of things on to see,” she said.
In August the team will head to Adelaide for a workshop featuring a Spanish florist.
Competitions will also be held which the team is looking at entering.
Trish said Jeannie originally set up the group to encourage locals to enjoy flowers and give them confidence in using flowers to make arrangements.
“There a few local floral competitions such as the section at the Swan Hill Show,” Trish said.
“I think the group has given people a lot of confidence to enter those competitions.”
With Jeannie encouraging the ladies to enter this year’s Melbourne International Flower Show, Trish said she was thrilled to hear the news they won a third prize.
“Jeannie really encouraged us strongly to enter it,” Trish said. “She was so proud of us.”
“Now she is telling us we need to get ready for August and get something together to enter in.”
With a background in office administration, and mostly having office admin jobs, Trish said she had Kerri to thank for providing her with the opportunity to work as a florist.
“She use to own a florist in Swan Hill and told me to come work for her,” she said.
“It has by far been the best job I have ever had.”
Over the years, the group has put together for flower arrangements for various community events.
“There are so many different things you can find in your garden to use, different sticks and leaves,” Trish said.
“You can put together whatever you like and get to explore your creative side.”
