Preparing for New York

In 3 weeks time I am off to the big apple to give a talk and practical demonstration on the joys of being a florist and all round English rose!

When I was asked by the restaurant next door to give a talk to their ladies club, it seemed like a good idea to practise on them, before launching myself on a group of unsuspecting Americans. In my previous life as a high powered medical sales executive I had reason to talk to a number of groups of people - neurosurgeons mainly. Somehow a group of ladies that lunch seemed more terrifying. My plan was to dazzle them with floral arrangements in the hope that the beauty of the flowers would distract them from what I was actually saying. 15 arrangements later, and a change of footwear from practical ballet pumps to leopard print kitten heels, my talk began, I prattled on for 30 minutes (it was only supposed to be 15) and everybody clapped at the end.

The photograph is the rather bright arrangement i made using roses, Cherry brandy and Amalia, Protea Nutans, chins, buplerum and calendula., it turned out to be everybody's favourite. It sits on an old school desk we use as a work space - the old inkwell hole being very useful for string. You can also just see an old towel rail we use for our tissue papers