Many churches in England hosts their annual flower festivals during the summer. A blaze of floral colour with fascinating and highly creative designs, these festivals provide a showcase for talented local florists, both professional and hobbyists. This year, we attended a flower festival in the Fenland village of Parson Drove, at Emmanuel Church. The Church was built in 1873 and this year the Church opened their doors for their first flower festival since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, at the end of September.
There were many unique designs, highlighting an interpretation of the theme of the festival, which was celebratory in nature. There was an exhibit in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, celebrating her reign as Monarch for 70 years, who sadly died a few weeks before this festival at the age of 96.
Weddings also featured in a couple of the designs, such as the one above shown a beautiful arch of flowers and arrangements on the side chapel altar.
This design features a sailing yatch, with an arrangement of flowers at the bottom to represent the sea. Behind, the familiar logo of the Olympics, where the exhibit based on celebrating winning a gold medal.
Continuing with the theme of the seaside, another arrangement was made on the pulpit, again a ship on the ocean. The purple and white flowers with green and gray foliage representing the sea. Notice the single white flower for the sun?
Below, something a little more unseasonal, but well-thought theme of winter snow, with a beautiful white floral piece of roses and Gladioli on a sleigh.
Sometimes, English humor says it all! A wedding couple made of buckets, and superb floral arrangements for their hair! There were some very unusual ideas, particularly in the church entrance, with hats worn at weddings suspended in the air, and floral arrangements of heather plants in high-heeled shoes. Surely reflecting a happy occasion.
Again, above the main entrance to the Church, a ship with an arrangement of blue and yellow flowers, and interestingly, fruit!
And look at the shoes on the right. A collection of heather in shoes, someone happily remembering retaking their wedding vows on a cruise ship.
The Church is built from brick and is typical of many Victorian churches in the Fenland. Inside, there are three original large brass chandeliers from St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It is deceptively spacious inside, with modern oak pews. The Organ is an historic instrument, which has remained unchanged since it was built, and been awarded Grade II Historic Organ listing with the National Pipe Organ Register, as a particular important organ of more than special interest. Next year the church will be celebrating its 150th anniversary of its opening, with many events and no doubt, another flower festival!
