N.Z. florist training praised

Press, 13 June 1984, Page 37

N.Z. florist training praised

NZPA staff correspondent London A New Zealander who is one of Britain’s top floralarrangement experts. Mr Fred Wilkinson believes his New Zealand training in horticulture was the best grounding for his craft. He has visited London to arrange floral displays as the National Trust of Scotland's contribution to the St Columba flower and music festival. A director and principal fiower arranger for the famous Constance Spry School based at Windsor. Mr Wilkinson said he spent most of his time doing

demonstrations and training florists. The school, known internationally for its cordon bleu and flower-arrange-ment courses, charges about £ 1250 ($2750) for an 11-week course. Mr Wilkinson, originally from Waipu, first worked as a florist in New Zealand. He i began training as a horticul- ; tural apprentice in an Auckland nurse before doing a two-year diploma course in : horticulture at Lincoln College. i “My family tells me that : from the age of three I was ’ always bringing plants inside and at four I had my t own garden,” he said. ; “But one of the things

that has stood me in the greatest stead in my travels round the world was the course at Lincoln. “The best part of that was the practical course Courses these days tend to be too academic, and few people have that grounding in horticulture which should be essential for working with flowers,” Mr Wilkinson . said. Earlier this year he gave demonstrations at the cordon bleu school in Auckland which is based on the Constance Spry approach. Mr Wilkinson hopes that the previous one-year diploma course at Constance Spry, which was considered one of the best qualifica-

tions for a florist in Europe, will restart soon. The school which recentlyshifted from London to a Georgian mansion in Windsor forest, has about 100 students at a time. Many come from Japan, China, Australia. and North America, as well as some from New Zealand.