Saturday 19 May 2012

Flowers for Catherine ...Wuthering heights

I have just re-read a childhood favourite - The Secret Garden and was delighted to re-connect with another favourite - Wuthering Heights  

I realised that both stories are set on the Yorkshire moors ...

where the wind blows and wurthers ... 

"Listen to th' wind wutherin' round the house'  ... you could bare stand up on the moor if you was out on it tonight"


Wuthering  I have found out ... "meant that hollow, shuddering, sort of roar which rushed round  and round the house" 



"its just miles and miles and miles of wild land that nothing grows on but heather and gorse and broom, and nothing lives on but wild ponies and sheep"

Quotes from 'The Secret Garden'


For my floristry 'major work' I chose Wuthering 'Heights' as the theme for three floral designs



I wanted to capture the wild, untamed and romantic nature of the moors in the strong and limited colour arrangements - deep reds, blues and creams. reminiscent of the colours 
.... 
and in its  design, in its form and with groupings of flowers for strength and impact

A vase of flowers for the mantelpiece.  
I used a hurricane vase typical of the period ... 



and filled it with moss and 
blue cinneraria, sea holly, lichen and grey blue mini gum leaves
red flax, cordyline, leucadendron and hawthorn berries and black privet berries and heath 
]with a strong cream 'Rose of Yorkshire' as the central focus




I designed a fur collar floral trim for Catherine to wear to her dinner


 The blue fur was the perfect surface to adorn with 
white and red roses, heath and lichen covered sticks, spanish moss and mini grey gum leaves


  
and finally 
A bouquet for Catherine inspired by the period and my imagination


Using the same palette of flowers and colours, here is my sketch design


and the bouquet 


And  
all three pieces for my Wuthering Heights display


A true pleasure to create and indulge my life-long fantasy and fascination with Catherine and Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights and the Yorkshire moors!

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