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Yates Arts In Education Magnet
School
Students Learn Art of Floral Design
Free Program
Offers Lessons About Fresh Cut Flowers
 Next
to a long row of large buckets filled with brightly colored
flowers, sat a room full of first graders at Yates Arts-In-
Education Magnet School, all blooming with big smiles. On
Wednesday, March 21 the two first grade classes enjoyed a
hands-on interactive lesson with a local floral designer. In
addition to learning about the basics of flower growing and how
to care for fresh cut flowers, the young students learned the
art of floral design and
each made
his own colorful bouquet. The lesson, sponsored by Flowers for
Kids, was presented by Freda Yorganson, owner of The Firefly
Florist and Gift Boutique.
 Yorganson,
one of the few local floral shop owners to participate in the
Flowers for Kids program, said the lessons and information is
good for kids. “Some kids never even see how fresh flowers are
cared for or arranged,” said Yorganson. The educational
program, which is free to schools, was started by R.L.
Penaheerera, a flower-grower in Ecuador who teamed up with
Seagroatt Floral Company to provide flowers for the
program
and schools at no charge.
“Most
children have very little or no contact with flowers,” said
Yorganson. In fact, she said most children are afraid of
flowers. “When children see an arrangement or bouquet of
flowers they are often told not to touch or stay away,” she
said. “We want to teach the students about flowers, how to
touch them and care for them while they are young.”
Looking after
your fresh flowers
---------------
Begin with a clean vase. Fill with fresh water.
Always add flower food to the water. This nourishes
flowers for maximum vase life.
Remove the leaves below the water line. Clean water
will hydrate and keep flowers healthy.
Cut flower stems under water before placing them into the
filled vase or Remember the 5 second rule: cut in
air and get into the water within 5 seconds.
Flowers will live longer if not placed in direct sunlight,
in a draft, near fruit, or on a tv.
Every other day re-cut the stems, and change the water and
flower food.
Flowers for Kids recommends having quality flowers cutters
in your kitchens. |
Yorganson
and Yates Teacher Richard Roe agree that the program fits in
with the arts theme of the elementary magnet school. Within the
lesson, the students are taught about arranging, framing, colors
and color combinations. They also agree that floral design is
an art.
As
Yorganson pointed to locations on the globe, she explained that
cut flowers are shipped to New York.
“Flowers come from
South
America, Ecuador and some states in America such as Florida,
California and the lower parts of Washington,” she told the
class.
Yorganson
explained and demonstrated how to make plant food, how to cut
fresh flowers and how to form an arrangement or “piece of art.”
“There are
three types of flowers in a bouquet,” explained Yorganson. She
showed the students examples of greens, fillers, line flowers
and focus flowers. “The greens frame your flower arrangement,”
she explained. Roe told the students to think about how their
artwork or pictures are sometimes framed.
As
Yorganson held up a handful of greens, she demonstrated how to
cut the stem before placing it in the vase. “Cut the flowers on
an angle so they can drink the water,” she said. “Then get the
flower in the water in five seconds.”
The group
also talked about the reasons why people give flowers to each
other. While most of the students said they wanted to give a
bouquet to their moms or dads, Andrew said he wanted to give
flowers to his sister “because she is nice.”
 Following
the demonstration, each of the students walked over to the huge
assortment of flowers and carefully hand-selected greens,
fillers, line flowers and focus flowers with an eye on making
their own bouquet. Yorganson and Roe spent time with each
student as they carefully selected the perfect flowers and
arranged their own bouquets – which they each took home in a
floral sleeve.
Flowers
for Kids and Seagroatt Floral supply all the flowers, handouts,
floral preservatives sachets and sleeves. Yorgansen said she
attended a training session to receive certification to teach
the program at her shop and the local schools. She then sent a
letter to local schools with information about the program. Roe
responded with interest.
 Students
in grades two and three at Yates Magnet School will also
participate in the Flowers for Kids class.
The Firefly Florist and Gift
Boutique is located at 3396 Consaul Road.
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