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Flower specialist addresses garden club

2 min read
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“What to do with a grocery store bouquet” was the title of the presentation by Chris Holt at the February meeting of Rices Landing Town and Country Garden Club.

Holt is a public program presenter for Phipps, where she received her flower arranging certification. She is also a master gardener.

The focus of the program was learning to use everyday items, like a mug, purse or basket as containers for flowers, such as the multi-mix grocery store bouquet.

Holt demonstrated the proper use of the oasis, which is placed in the bottom of the container to provide water and support to the stems of the flowers.

Also demonstrated was the correct way to cut two inches from the bottom of a stem with a knife or scissors. Using the rose as an example, a cut is made under water on an angle in order to expose a larger area for the stem to draw water.

It is important to mix into the water the small packet of fresh flower nutrients and water clarifier that accompanies the bouquet. The water should be cool or tepid as warm water will force bloom.

Each member brought an arrangement to be critiqued by Holt. This workshop was in anticipation of the club’s flower show Aug. 1, which is open to the public.

Holt was accompanied to the meeting by John Steel and George “Bly” Blystone, who exhibited metalcraft work forged at the foundry in Rices Landing. Steel is the president of the Pittsburgh Area Blacksmiths’ Association and Blystone is the caretaker at the Foundry. Holt attends the Hammer-In at the Foundry every April as a blacksmith artist.

The Foundry was built in 1900 as the W. A. Young Foundry and Machine Shop. The curator emeritus of the Smithsonian Institute considers it to be one of the finest historic finds of its type in the nation. The Steel Industry Heritage in Homestead is working with grants and architects to refurbish it as a working museum.

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