My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Limelight

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, held every year in Chelsea, England is one of the best known Floral Art Competitions in our design calendars.

I was invited to exhibit in this year's show.

I participated in the second session, with staging overnight at 9:45pm on Wednesday 20 May to be completed on Thursday 21 May at 6 am.

My Limelight design was inspired by a slice of lime. But I wanted it to look like it was spun by a butterfly. I used Sisal, silk and loads of Lisianthus flowers and 9 grapevine plants. Each tiny stem was placed in a water filled glass seahorse or test tube to keep it hydrated.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015

Judging of the floral arrangement exhibits at the Royal Horticultural Show is by RHS criteria

Schedule Class D, Limelight:

Limelight Floral Art Design

The exhibit is staged on a square platform 1m wide by 1m deep raised 15cm from floor level.

Lisianthus and grapevine

The design was judged from the front but viewed from all sides

Chelsea Flower Show Limelight Design

Own Individual title to be included.

Christine de Beer Chelsea Flower Show

Display height is optional to a maximum of 1m from the top of the base

Guidelines for Staging

Staging a Floral Art Competition Design

In each exhibit natural plant material must predominate with emphasis on fresh flowers and foliage.
Only cultivated moss may be used
Dried plant material is permitted but fresh flowers/foliage should form the major part of the exhibit.

While some dyed, surface-coloured or manipulated (eg. plaited, stained, glossed, etc...) plant material may be used, exhibitors should remember that the Royal Horticultural Society's Shows are held to display excellence in plants and all other aspects of horticulture.
The Society does not permit the use of dug plants, moss or artificial plant material.

Silver Medal Chelsea Flower Show

I won a Silver Medal for my Limelight Floral Arrangement

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

4 January 2011 Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

19 June 2013 Sisal Disk

Create a inflexible circle armature to hang flowers from

24 August 2011 Stain wooden skewers with natural dye

Using fruit, berries, flowers, leaves and grasses to naturally stain design details for floral art relies on the same techniques as using paint or any other dye.

3 January 2011 Syringe with tube

Easy way to fill test tubes and easiest way to remove water from a vase

28 August 2013 Unravel Sisal string to get Sisal Fibers

I purchase a huge roll of sisal string to use... sometimes as string, but mostly I unravel it for the fibers

Favourite Flowers

Eustoma

Lisianthus, Texan Poppy, Texas Bluebell, Tulip Gentian, Prairie Gentian

Related Designs

27 May 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015 Limelight Floral Art Design

Looking back at the preparations and staging of a design in the Floral Design Studio Marquee at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

9 September 2015 Fall Treasures

A sisal mat armature for fall twigs flowers and leaves

23 November 2016 All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate): Another perspective

This was the third design I did in my "All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate)" floral art demonstration

22 March 2017 Biomimicry

A design demonstration and workshop at the Floral Trends Design group in South Africa exploring how we emulate nature’s best biological ideas to solve our modern day design...

22 March 2017 Biomimicry Demonstration and Workshop at the Floral Trends Design Group, South African Flower Union

Looking at how we emulate nature’s best biological ideas to solve our modern day design problems.

22 March 2017 Biomimicry Demonstration and Workshop video

Looking back at the preparations and my Biomimicry design demonstration and workshop at the Floral Trends Design Group in South Africa

8 September 2021 A good September Soaking

Exploring two soaking techniques for a subtle early autumn design

21 June 2023 Floral Hurricane

My Floral Hurricane design entry for the BC Floral Art Society mini show competition