Tin Cans & Step Ladders

As long as friends don't mind you painting their old wooden step ladders pink and you can cadge a few dozen cans from the recycling box - you are well on the way to a more relaxed style of flower arranging.

The marquee is being prepared for the local rugby club ball and a group of us gather to add a country garden touch to the decorations.

Pedestal arrangements take time and a lot of flowers to look good, where as we are more concerned about, a bit of effort, a minimum of cost and a lot of chat. And if we are lucky, bacon sandwiches as we work.

Gay brings a huge bucket of pittosporum from her garden, Val brings the ladders and trellising she has painstakingly painted, Jennifer brings bundles of alchemilla mollis, Jan brings boxes of ribbon, Michelle, luckily, brings her plasters and sense of humour (floristry scissors being particularly sharp) and Deanna brings a home made cake. What more could you want?