Christmas Preview Event at New Covent Garden Flower Market : Part 4 – Joe Massie

This is the fourth and last of my blog posts about my visit to the Christmas Preview event at New Covent Garden Flower Market. And today I’m featuring Joe Massie.

For three years running, Joe has won RHS Young Chelsea Florist of the Year…an amazing achievement for a 23 year old! He currently works at Springbank Flowers in Manchester.

My favourite design which Joe created was the one above and immediately below…a stunning arrangement of different shades of violet and burgundy blooms, nestled amongst a framework of lichen branches.

Joe used cultivated clematis, astrantia, ‘Sterling Silver’ roses and scabious, offset by senecio and lime green guelder rose.  Once finished, he placed the design in a huge silver bowl. Stunning!

For the next design, he used kyogi paper to cover two thirds of an 18 inch wreath base.

He then added green cornus from Porters Foliage, together with pine, ‘Schwarzwalder’ calla lilies, ‘Green Goddess’ calla lilies,  ‘Black Magic’ vanda orchids and eucharis.

Next up, he decorated a wreath with camellia foliage, pine needles, white phalaenopsis orchids, eucharis, parrot tulips, ranunculus and gomphrena in test tubes.

Joe then created a design in a large silver urn.  He’d previously inserted the perspex leaves to create an enclosed but transparent design.

On top of the floral foam in the container, he’d also placed a layer of black gravel to contrast with the flowers.

He added ‘Silverstone’ roses, astrantia, ‘Black Magic’ vanda orchids, pink and purple cultivated clematis, hydrangea, scabious and guelder rose.  Gorgeous!

Then he created a design which would be perfect as a table arrangement or it could be used to decorate a mantelpiece.

He started off with dry foam which he’d painted black and covered it with wood discs. This was placed onto a perspex container and branches, candles and test tubes were added.

Joe decorated the design with eucharis, cyclamen flowers and camellia foliage.

Next up was a colourful design created in a dish covered with a layer of tiny shells and red balls.

Joe had placed four red candles studded with pins in the dish.  Attached to these were test tubes into which he arranged ‘Grand Prix’ roses, dahlias, hypericum and cultivated clematis.

The next design was created on a framework of chunky pear branches, together with twigs and ligustrum.

Into test tubes attached to the frame, Joe inserted phalaenopsis orchids, ranunculus, gomphrena and ceropegia.

Last but not least was this design which reminded some of us of a hula skirt…!

Joe created it using a third of an 18 inch wreath frame, which he’d hot glued mikado sticks onto. Then he attached red cornus, twigs, cambria orchids, dahlias, guelder rose and camellia foliage.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing Joe’s lovely designs.  If you’d like to see the other blog posts from the Christmas Preview event, simply click on the links here: Simon Lycett, David Denyer, David Ragg.

(Images : Rona Wheeldon for Flowerona)