A stone-gray pedestal vase will hold a fabulous bouquet

Our garden club’s October meeting featured floral designs by Susan Betz, owner of Bouquet of Blooms in Cape Elizabeth. Susan arrived with her car filled with colorful flowers, foliage and fruits. She put together a beautiful assortment of arrangements for our viewing pleasure, and we held a drawing to see who could take home each of the designs.

Some of the bouquets featured fruits, from artichokes and cranberries to rose hips and pears. Another held foliage cut from Susan’s backyard, and flowers from the supermarket (an arrangement that cost under $10!). Susan offered many suggestions on putting together her arrangements, including taping a grid across the top of the vase with transparent florist tape. A secret to share: when looking for a pick to hold your fruit, look no further than the waste can next to your work area. One of the stems you just trimmed can be inserted into the fruit!

The finished design, including a pear

Susan’s “Romantic Rose Bouquet”

Susan Betz at work

Can you find an artichoke?

A bowl of cranberries holds flowers and rose hips in place