The sun was shinning through the large windows of the Courtenay Centre as Joan Trewin began her ‘Essence of Summer’ themed floral demonstration at May’s meeting of Newton Abbot Flower Club.

Joan from Bude has been flower arranging for several years and used to own a florist in her home town, but now she is a qualified demonstrator for the Devon and Cornwall area of NAFAS, the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies.

Joan’s first arrangement was displayed in a large, homemade willow basket, onto which she added twisted vine, a selection of foliage, cream stocks, yellow roses, purple lisianthus, some hebe and red tulips.

Her demonstration included a creative arrangement of litchen and moss covered polystyrene half-balls, with groupings of different textured greenery and dusty pink Roses and Kalanchoe clustered flowers resulting in a simple display with a real warmth of summer.

She also created a replica of her prize winning pedestal which she won at the Holsworthy and Stratton Flower Show in 2015. It contained mini gerberas, antirrhinums, roses and lilies – all in burnt orange colours to give the essence of glorious summer sunsets.

She took inspiration from a walk along the beach for another arrangement and her final piece was a centre piece for a summer wedding

The members’ competition title was ‘Summer Days’. Winners were Jane Mason and Jean Adams, joint second Penny Dale and Helen Griffiths.

Flower club meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month at 7pm at The Courtenay Centre, Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot.