Tips and ideas for how to design and create a variety of types of floral arrangements for a variety of purposes were presented and demonstrated to members of Great Bend Garden Club at their February meeting by Amy Habiger and Kaitlyn Robl from Yours Truly Gift and Flower Shoppe in Great Bend. More traditional styles of arrangements and containers are being replaced with more modern looking styles such as elongated wreaths instead of circular ones and wooden containers instead of ceramic or glass, unusually shaped dried plants, and even older style containers, such a jugs, are making a comeback. And if the arrangement is to be given to someone, even a small gift such as a candle can be included in the arrangement. Among the tricks of creating an arrangement that is pleasing to the eye are using a specific number of alike blossoms and foliage in one bouquet; using a variety of colors pleasing to the eye and suitable to the occasion (if an artificial bouquet, arrange foliage so that the colored flowers can be changed out for the colors of a new season of the year); and using a container that fits the size, length and height of the space and purpose of the bouquet. Questions from the club members brought answers to the kinds of unseen secrets to flower arranging, such as the types of glue and Styrofoam used to secure the stems of an arrangement, and that when using silk or other artificial flowers the wires need to extend clear to the tip of the flowers or foliage to enable the desired bending.

In a drawing. one of the beautiful arrangements brought to the meeting was won by Jeannine Girton.

The next meeting of Great Bend Garden Club will be on March 21 at 10 a.m. in the meeting room of the Great Bend Senior Center.  Hostess will be Vi Hiss and the program will be by Nancy Williams. Visitors and guests are invited.