10 March 2009

It was an early start for the team of five floristry students from CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus who travelled to London to compete in the College Days Competitions organized by New Covent Garden Market and sponsored by LANTRA.

The students met competition organizers at 5.30am for a tour of the Flower Market to view the beautiful seasonal stock, before being given their design brief. They then had to source all the flower material needed for “a seasonal table centre for a keen gardener on her sixtieth birthday lunch in a country house hotel”. Competitors had to note down the country of origin, cost and supplier of all the materials they used and keep to the customer’s £150 budget.

They set to work at 7.30am and had breakfast delivered to their work stations at 8.30am. Their design and costings completed by 11.00am, the girls headed off to visit Neill Strain, of Neill Strain Floral Couture, in up-market Belgravia. Neill studied floristry at Greenmount and is originally from Mullaghbawn, Newry. He had invited the girls to see his luxurious shop and pick up some tips for Mother’s Day designs.

‘Without exception, the standard of all the designs was very high and each take on the brief was unique and highly creative,’ said judge Sarah Holland, of the Flowers and Plants Association. With 21 teams taking part, representing colleges from throughout the UK, the Greenmount team were delighted to be placed second in the competition.

Team member Julie Lee said “This was a fantastic opportunity to visit the New Covent Garden Flower market and select first rate materials. It was interesting to see London prices and everyone was so complimentary about our design we felt very proud to represent Greenmount and Northern Ireland floristry. Neill’s shop in Belgravia is stunning and he made us so welcome I can’t wait to come back for another visit.”

Sarah Jane Farrell, who also competed at Covent Garden, has another challenge on the horizon. She will represent CAFRE in the Northern Ireland regional heat of the UK Skills Floristry Competition to be held at Greenmount (Antrim) as part of the Horticulture Taster Day on Wednesday 20 May.  Anyone interested in a career in horticulture or floristry is very welcome to attend the event. For details ring 0800 0284291 or visit http://www.cafre.ac.uk/courses

A winning CAFRE design team: Sarah Jane Farrell (Markethill), Romaine Hodgen (Banbridge), Julie Lee (Coleraine), a Covent Garden wholesaler, Michelle McQuaid (Dromore), and Alanna McMeekin (Banbridge), with their work at New Covent Garden Flower Market. All the students either work in or own floristry businesses locally.

Neill Strain, of Neill Strain Floral Couture, Belgravia, London, who started his floristry career on the full-time floristry programme at Greenmount. (Neill is originally from Mullaghbawn, Newry). His website is www.neillstrain.com