17/07/2026
WAFA Elimination. Competitions! You win some, you lose some, but it’s all about taking part, enjoying the experience, and learning from it.
As a florist, you learn the most on the competition bench. Things may not always go as planned and you need to be able to think on your feet! You are critiqued by judges, who assess your exhibit and award the best floral design in the competition. You also have the opportunity to receive feedback on how you can improve, which is always a bonus. I loved meeting other competitors and enjoyed a brilliant day, as they say, “friendship through flowers”.
I would like to thank the 3 Counties and South West Area of NAFAS for the opportunity to represent them. I absolutely loved the research and process of designing my exhibit, entitled “Land of my Fathers.” I decided I would depict the circle. In Chinese culture and language, the circle is a profound symbol of harmony, wholeness, unity, and perfection. Because a circle has no beginning or end, it also represents the concept of eternity, the continuous cycles of nature (such as the seasons and life). I also wanted to use flowers with symbolic meaning:
🌸 Peonies - Known as the “king of flowers” in China, the peony is a traditional emblem of wealth, royalty, and high social standing.
🍃 Ginkgo - Resilience and rebirth.
🎍 Bamboo - If giving as a gift, 3 stalks: happiness, wealth, and long life.
🌺 Phalaenopsis Orchids - Love, luxury, beauty, and strength.
🌹 Roses - Beauty and passion.
I covered my circle with Nigella seeds and natural jute, all plant material, and embellished my exhibit with gold wire, gold ginkgo leaves and gold flowers, which I molded to represent a magnolia flower. It took many hours of hard work, but was very rewarding. (Note: exhibit within dimensions, it was just moved to take the video.)
Finally, many congratulations to the Winners and all the competitors who worked through extreme heat and worrying if their flowers would hold up. It has been a privilege to compete at such a high standard; the judges had their work cut out!
A final thank you to all the committee and their team, for looking after us, to NAFAS for holding such an amazing competition and too the judges.
