Suffolk Show Floral Arrangements

Jun 11

2 min read

This year due to me not competing my Fell pony at the Suffolk Show I decided to go along on the Thursday to just enjoy the show. I was very much looking forward to seeing the Flower Arrangement Competition.

The Flower competition is a long established feature of the Suffolk Show, with classes for juniors, novices, experienced arrangers, and flower clubs.

Very much like a sugar floral competition, each category has their own rules, eligibility and themes.

On entering the flower tent you’re hit by the most incredible scents, floral displays, and lots of plants for sale!

After purchasing some plants for my own garden, I then worked my way around the huge tent. I love looking at the large displays as it truly gives inspiration for areas in your own garden. Looking at beautiful colour combinations and how creative people are is a complete explosion on the senses.

You’re then led through to the competition area and even though I hadn't entered myself, having done many sugar competitions, it made me feel nervous just walking in.

Each category is themed but my particular favourite was the large category themed as ‘A Woodland Walk’

There were three entrants into this and it was wonderful seeing their interpretation of the theme. The winner of this category was truly fantastic, with wild daisies, brown fallen leaves and even stinging nettles!

I think this piece shows how to truly think outside the box. The flowers really do shine but by adding the rotting wood, brown leaves and stinging nettles, it really does feel like you are in a wood.

When I design a cake, the sugar flowers and foliage should always shine through and everything else will compliment them, even the colour of the sugar paste on the cake is carefully thought through as a backdrop.

Looking at the other categories there is a real sense of careful thought, time and patience that is put into each piece, very much like sugar floral competitions. I personally really loved the orange, brown and deep red combinations.

Entries into the competition are judged to certain criteria to fall in line with the NAFAS guidance, similar to the sugar competitions that are held all over the world.

NAFAS stands for ‘National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies’.

This is the main UK organisation that promotes floral art and flower arranging.

The NSA or National Sugarart Association does a similar thing with many wonderful clubs, all over the country. They have lots of workshops and displays held throughout the year.

The judging at the Suffolk Show for the ‘Flower Arrangement’ competition takes into account,