Saying it with flowers - The Flower Festival

Yesterday, I spent the day telling stories. Not with words - with flowers.

It's not easy to interpret with flowers; the circle of life, for example - sounds like a good title, but do you create something circular, or focus on the seasons, or maybe celebrate birth, life and death? You could take a roomful of flower arrangers, and they'd all have a slightly different take on the subject. The trick is to find something that connects with your audience, rather than leaving them standing bemused in front of a fabulous display that cannot be 'read'.

I'm one of the flower arranging team at my church, and for the last dozen years or so, we've held a flower festival every three years. This year is special, as we are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the church building with 'A Tapestry of Time'.

Please forgive me - but I am going to indulge, and share some photos of the flower festival so you can judge whether or not the flower team have 'told the story'...

St Mary, to whom the church is dedicated - although no-one is actually sure which St Mary we were dedicated to, it's always been taken that it's Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Changes to the building - it certainly isn't as originally built.

The church's year - in colour.

Victorian versus modern vicar.

Music in the church.

Your Majesty - the church has seen the reign of six monarchs already.

Hatch, match and despatch.

A country church - Plough Sunday, Rogation and Harvest.

  

The text on the sampler reads 'To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.'

Mission - the charities our church supports.

So - what do you think? Did we tell our 'stories' well enough?