“Designing Then and Now”

Williamsburg floral designs take us back to the Colonial era of William Bartram, our namesake. During this program Jan Sillik, Jacksonville’s NGC master flower show judge and “Fun with Flowers” founder and instructor, entertained us with her homespun humor and creative designer skills. After demonstrating some DIY modern holiday designs, Jan shared her apple cone tree topped with a whole pineapple, faux magnolia flower, and other ideas from Williamsburg floral books using fresh foliage and fruit. This former FFGC president knows how to connect with those of us who are staunch dirt gardeners and who stubbornly resist trying our hand at creating floral arrangements. She makes it look fun and easy. Members were caught up in her anecdotal stories as she crafted designs which are easily recreated at home by even the most novice designer. Her passion is contagious. She introduced us to new trends in floral designs and included a handout, “mastering mechanics”, which will help guide our own efforts when we, with much trepidation, attempt this at home