SWAN HILL was represented at last month’s Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, with an entry in the Victorian Floral Art Association’s annual competition.
Jeanie Finlayson and Tricia Witney entered the competition, held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, on behalf of the Swan Hill Floral Art Group.
Competing against groups from across Victoria, the pair designed and created a colourful display to match this year’s title of “Kaleidoscope”.
Construction started once the team had finalised their design, with their plan being an eye-catching, colourful piece that incorporated geometric shapes.
The pair’s display featured an icosahedron, a design that utilises 20 triangles.
These triangles were created using metal piping, before being welded together and onto a support structure.
Ms Finlayson reached out to neighbour and former math teacher Tony Waldron for assistance with fitting together the shapes, as well as Mrs Witney’s husband Don.
“He was the mathematician for the project,” she said.
“We couldn’t settle on what size it should be, so he decided all of that for us.
“We also got some help from Tricia’s husband with all the construction and welding.”
Once Jeanie and Tricia had made the drive to Melbourne, and after the hard task of unloading their flowers and the display, the pair worked into the early morning to complete their floral art.
“We were working on it all the way up to the last minute, and we actually didn’t get it fully completed,” she said.
“We were planning on tilting a mirror a certain way to reflect the design, but they hunted us all out of the hall, so we had to let it go.”
Although Swan Hill’s representatives went home this year without any prizes, Mrs Finlayson said the “competition is often secondary to the contestants”.
“I love doing it,” she said. “I’m also a floral art judge myself, so I have an idea what they’re looking for.
“One of the lovely parts about doing floral art is how you get to know all the competitors.
“I’ve come to know so many of the people over the years that I continue to meet up with.”
The trip was capped off by meeting Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis.
“I didn’t used to be a fan of his big beard,” she said. “But when I met him, he sung out to everybody, ‘she’s from Swan Hill!’ I think I should have let him know I was 95.”
