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The Pukekohe Floral Art Club will celebrate 70 years in April. The Franklin Times dropped by one of their meetings to learn more about the club, chatting with president Sheryl Waterman and secretary Louise Lauer.
What is floral art?
Louise: Floral art is the creative, artistic arrangement of plant materials, flowers, and foliage, often focusing on sculptural, contemporary, or traditional designs. It’s more than just arranging flowers. We learn a range of techniques, using a range of materials.
For me, it’s a great creative outlet because I have a very practical job as an accountant. It’s good to have that balance.
We’re affiliated with Floral Art New Zealand Inc and there are 66 clubs right across the country. The next closest is in Papakura.
What do you do at meetings?
Louise: Each time we run a workshop, we try to cover a range of designs. We bring flowers and plant materials from our gardens, but also sometimes have donations from growers, which is lovely.
Today, we are doing handheld bouquets, which are harder than they look.
Editor’s note: I gave making a handheld bouquet a go, and can confirm this was a challenging activity! Thanks Sheryl, for your patience. My children were very impressed with my bouquet, though.
How far afield do your demonstrators travel?
Louise: We’ve had demonstrators from all over, including Kumeu, but also from places like Kerikeri because they have a connection with someone in the club. Ramarama Hall is a fantastic location because it’s so easy to access from the motorway, especially when we have demonstrators travelling from Auckland.
When does the club meet?
Louise: Our day meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month in February, March, April, May, September, October, and November at the lovely Ramarama Hall. In winter, we hold workshops on the first Thursday of the month in June, July, and August at the Waiau Pa Community Hall. We have a lovely soup lunch to warm up.
What are some of the neat things about the club’s 70-year history?
Sheryl: The club used to run a huge show in the town hall – it was a fantastic fundraiser for them. They would then donate the money to different community groups. We can see from the club minutes that the club helped buy the land for the local fire brigade, along with supporting children with disabilities, war veterans, and other charities.
The club was also involved when the racecourse opened, putting together some floral designs.
What are you doing to celebrate 70 years of the Pukekohe Floral Art Club?
Louise: We will be holding a special luncheon at the Franklin Baptist Church on Victoria Street in Pukekohe on April 14. We will be running an old-fashioned high tea, and it will be a lot of fun. We will also have floral art designs, one for each decade.
We would love to see past members there too, and if they can’t make it on the day, we would love to share any photos and memories from their time as members. RSVPs for the 70th anniversary can be made by emailing lauer@xtra.co.nz.
