Looking after our beautiful world

This summer, St Jerome’s Church, Llangwm, decided to hold a flower festival with a difference, with an eye firmly fixed on eco-friendly ways, as organiser Gill Hill reports.

There were various questions: Where would the arrangements fit in the church? how many? by whom? which part of our beautiful world would they portray? and how could we achieve our aim of being ‘green’ in our presentation of the flowers as well as the subject.

We wanted to avoid using flowers which had been shipped long distances, sourcing British-grown flowers ( with mixed results after a very stormy winter) but best of all we were able to use flowers, greenery, shrubs, small trees in pots from our own gardens.

Another important decision was made. If we were to be ethical, we should not use the Oasis floral foam in our displays. It’s made from oil and releases toxic substances as it degrades on landfill sites. Instead, we could use vases, chicken wire and metal spiky ‘frogs’ but some arrangements needed the firm hold of a floral foam. We found Agri Wool, a non-toxic floral block which breaks down after use into compost-like material.

So, how did we do? We had eleven stunning displays, several on the subject of water - ‘Under the Sea’, ‘ Water’ and ‘A Rock pool’. These all raised the importance of clean water, the problems of microplastics in the sea, rubbish left on the beach and just the necessity to keep our rivers and seas clean.

Pupils from Cleddau Reach school created a fantastic array of bees, butterflies, spiders, caterpillars, worms - all God’s creatures displayed with their choice of flowers, the Sunflower.

We had a woodland display, complete with carved wood and felted woodland creatures, a beautiful, symbolic rainbow, a bug house so good it could have won a prize for design. We had a Summer Meadow, The Temple Gate, and a display of both the darkness and evil of war contrasted with the beauty and goodness of peace. On entering the church, everyone was wowed by the tumbling arc of colour, skilfully created, by Beccy, and called Prismatic Beauty.

We had a very busy, happy few days and many people came to visit. Teas, cakes, friendship and flowers helped make a significant sum for our church, and we all felt richer for the experience.