WildFlowers Australia

It’s a great pleasure to announce the winners of this year’s competition! With 109 entries, the panel of 5 judges were kept busy checking the photos, design notes and teacher’s comments.

The theme was a table centrepiece,  appropriate for a special occasion or event, to sit on a round or rectangular table seating 10 to 12 people. Many students included a photo of their arrangement displayed on an appropriately set table, and their staging was delightful.

There were so many themes – weddings, birthdays, book launches, Australia Day, Father’s Day, a wide variety of commemorative dinners and presentations, and family gatherings. And the effort made to prepare the design notes was most commendable.

Through this annual competition, WildFlowers Australia seeks to inform present and future florists about the versatility, availability and beauty of Australian grown wildflower products. The range and quality of these unique flowers and foliages is constantly expanding as new cut flowers species and hybrids are developed and released to the cut flower markets. 

To clarify, the term ‘Wildflowers’ encompasses Australian native flowers and foliage species together with their botanically related cousins from South Africa, like Proteas and Leucadendrons.  

The following colleges participated this year: TAFE Qld, Southbank; Pearson’s School of Floristry, Sydney; Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, Vic; Sydney Institute of TAFE, Ultimo; TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute, Padstow; South Metro TAFE, Perth, WA (formerly Challenger Institute); and Canberra Institute of Technology, ACT.  

The winners are posted - see the folder to the left. All entries to be posted shortly, grouped according to their college.

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Platinum sponsors:

East Coast Wildflowers is one of Australia's leading suppliers of Australian Native and South African Wildflowers, supplying high quality seasonal flowers and foliages all year round. They grow a huge range of products and also source and supply from other leading growers and wild product harvesters from across Australia. Their range includes many sought after and unusual products not commonly available.

Well known and respected in the industry for many years, they are very supportive of trainee florists and continue to promote and educate their customers about the incredible diversity and range of products available. You can refer to their website or Craig Scott or his staff will personally assist students in the competition with information on what products are available.  The full month by month listing is available at http://www.eastcoastwildflowers.com.au

Don't hesitate to contact East Coast if you want to obtain specific products. Contact details are: Market Phone (02) 9325 6774 and Fax (02) 9325 6046.

The Flower Association is a non-profit peak industry organisation that supports the sustainable growth of the cut flower and foliage industry. The association invites members from all sectors of the industry, including growers, breeders, wholesalers, allied traders, educators and florists. The association organises regular industry events for growers, wholesalers and florists including the upcoming Australian Flower Festival being held in Brisbane.

The Flower Association is the publisher of Australian Flower Industry magazine which contains the latest industry news and information written by recognised industry experts to address the business development needs of all industry members. The association also publishes the Flowers app which is an electronic vehicle for the magazine as well as special edition apps like the Careers Guide and Business Planning Guide. Flowers is currently available for free download in the Google Play and Apple stores.

Go to www.australianflowerindustry.com.au to subscribe to Australian Flower Industry magazine or download Flowers by searching for ‘flower industry’ in the Apple and Google play stores. Web: www.flowersqueensland.asn.au

 Gold sponsor:

Flower HQ are dedicated to providing a reliable and efficient way to access and order your flowers, foliage, plants and florists sundries. We sell only the best quality fresh flowers, hand selected from our farms and carefully chosen partner growers. 

Flower HQ is trade only and is not open to the public. If you are a reseller, merchant and/or vendor in the flower industry, then you are our customer. Like you, we are passionate about flowers. We understand your business – the latest trends, challenges and opportunities. We’re also leaders in innovation and first-to-market with new, unique and exciting flowers and foliage.

Visit us at Flower HQ Sydney, Unit 4, 44 Boorea Street, Lidcombe, NSW 2141. We are open from 4am-12pm (Monday – Friday) and 6am -10am (Saturday). There is plenty of FREE parking onsite and also FREE coffee when you come by and visit.

Keep up to date by following us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/flower.hq/

Flower HQ…Bigger. Brighter. Better.

Silver sponsors:

Australian Wildflowers Pty Ltd has been supplying native flower and foliage products to the Australian wholesale flower market for the past five years.  Based in both western Victoria and eastern South Australia, Australian Wildflowers Pty Ltd currently grows over 100 different lines of products primarily aimed at supplying their native bouquet production.

Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/AustralianFlowerIC

Civil and Structural Engineering Design Services Pty Ltd

Continuing our commitment to support trainee florists.

We provide a wide range of services to cover all your Engineering, Design and Construction requirements.  Such services include, Commercial & Industrial Engineering, Structural Design of Swimming Pools, Site Plans, Storm Water Detention (OSD) and Retention Basins, Minor roads Design, Driveway and Car park Design, Retaining walls and shoring, Certification & Site investigation. 

Our Company is privately owned and operated by Edward Bennett.

Civil & Structural Engineering Design Services Pty. Ltd.   ABN: 62 051 307 852 3 Wanniti Road   BELROSE   NSW   2085   Tel: 02 9975 3899    Fax: 02 99751943 Email: hited@bigpond.net.au                                                        Web:  www.civilandstructural.com.au 

Helix Australia is the world leader in the breeding, marketing and licensing of new and improved varieties of Waxflower for both cut flower and landscape use. Waxflower is one of the major filler flowers used by discerning florists globally and Helix Australia’s varieties aim to excite both florist and consumer alike. Our varieties have been selected based on flower size, unique colours, extended vase life and also early and late flowering time. Helix Australia is proud to sponsor Wildflower Australia’s 2017 National Student Floristry Competition.  Web: http://www.helixaustralia.com.au/

Premium Greens Australia is the sales and marketing arm of the Cedar Hill Group based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. We specialise in Australian native flowers and foliage for both export and domestic markets. Our products are world renowned for freshness, quality and their unique beauty. 

We have been operating for over 20 years in the business of producing top quality native Australian flowers and foliage. Our focus is on the production and export of unique cut native foliage and flowers from our own facilities throughout Queensland. When your flowers and foliage are supplied by Premium Greens Australia, you know you are receiving the best!

 Our Environmental Commitment: We have a proud history of being environmental pioneers in the Australian cut-flower industry. We have won countless awards for our exceptional work in bringing to the front of our production the environmental impact we have and the sustainability of our harvesting. We strive to produce an exceptional quality, eco-friendly product.

Joint Ventures: Flower and foliage varieties that we cannot produce ourselves are sourced from farms across Australia to ensure the highest quality products are available on the market today! We insist on the farms we work closely with as being equal to the high standards of Premium Greens Australia. We are now working with a number of farms/exporters in South Africa and Kenya to offer flowers and foliage from the region to the North American markets. As always, we consider our clients' our highest priority and strive to supply the best products these countries have to offer.

For more information on our products contact our Domestic Sales Coordinator, Liz Smith Phone: 07 5442 3055 or 0408 780 530. 

Email: liz@premiumgreens.com.au or visit our website www.premiumgreensaustralia.com

The Wildflower Industry Network NSW Inc. aims to grow and promote the Wildflower Industry in NSW, which is based on Australian native flowers and foliage, as well as selections from South African Proteaceae. It supports the interests of commercial growers and others with a commercial interest in wildflowers throughout NSW by fostering exchange of commercial and technical information; initiating technical research and supporting collective action on industry issues. WIN has 2 active groups, one incorporating the greater Sydney area (including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and extending to the South Coast) and one located on the NSW mid north coast.

It evolved from the Waratah Industry Network which commenced in 1994 and undertook a number of projects to enhance grower understanding of waratahs, to promote the waratah as a cut flower and to liaise with NPWS over grower concerns relating to tagging and grower registration. 

With many changes in the wildflower industry in NSW over the past decade and the demise of the former State organisation, the Waratah Industry Network evolved to represent the interests of all NSW wildflower growers. The Wildflower Industry Network NSW Inc. came into being in June 2011. 

For more information, please contact Frank Allatt; email: fallatt@bigpond.net.au