2024 National Floristry Competition

For our 2024 student competition, students designed and made 2 pieces, a hand tied bunch and a wearable item (such as a corsage, buttonhole/boutonniere, or a hairpiece). To add a further dimension to their work, they created a display to stage their entries. 

Certificate III students from TAFE and private floristry colleges which are Registered Training Organizations across Australia participated through their colleges.

The 2024 winners are:

First place (one National winner):

Melanie Oxley, TAFE NSW, Hornsby campus

A rustic Australiana wedding’, elegant and decorative in style, loose and whimsical design to fit the rustic theme. It takes 2 – the bouquet is designed for a bride and the hairpiece for a flower girl or young bridesmaid. An exquisite entry for its colours, design, techniques, settings and photography.

Only Australian flowers and foliage to better meet the brief for ‘eco-friendly’ as locally sourced products significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the arrangement. These showcased the diversity in Australian flora and demonstrated that Australian flowers can successfully meet a pastel-toned client brief, a classic wedding colour scheme.

A near complementary colour scheme of pinks (to signify love and affection) and pastel yellows (to signify joy) plus white to signify purity. A range of textures enhance the aesthetic appeal of the designs.

Outstanding discussion of the various elements and principles used in the design, detailed construction notes and excellent discussion of sustainability, fair trade and “Buy Australian” movements which are becoming more relevant in Australia.  Outstanding research component.

Melanie Oxley

TAFE NSW

Hornsby Campus

2nd place (one National runner-up):

Tiffany Gabriel, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, Vic

A wedding inspired by Tiffany & Co., combining the brand’s elegance and timeless beauty, and mimicking the craftsmanship of this luxurious brand. Used Tiffany inspired colours of white, blue and greens. ‘It takes 2’ – “At age 30 after years of trial and error in pursuing a career, combining jewellery and floristry feels like I’ve found my passion”. And inspired by Tiffany’s late father, who named her after ‘Tiffany & Co’. Excellent focus on scale and proportion in designing the earrings and bouquet; wonderful symbolism in the flowers and colours chosen- white for new beginnings, a fresh start and hope for a harmonious and prosperous future together, green for nurturing, growth and good fortune and blue for trust and loyalty.

Detailed construction notes including how her design was developed.  Outstanding discussion of the contrasting textures of the flowers and foliage to keep the viewer intrigued and engaged.

Tiffany Gabriel

Holmesglen Institute of TAFE VIC

3rd place (one National 3rd place winner):

Janette Ireland, TAFE NSW, Padstow campus

A bouquet and boot corsage for ‘Lilah’s Country Wedding’. Lilah grew up in the city but has lived in the country for some years. ‘It takes 2’ in that her wedding flowers are to reflect her past and her present, ‘something a bit quirky but not lairy, elegant but not too over the top fancy’. The desire to have minimal waste from the event was important to her, e.g. being able to reuse some of the items for an artwork she wanted to create afterwards.

Janette did a lot of background research and explored interesting ideas. With the bride experiencing anxiety and worrying about being overwhelmed, the design features tactile flowers and product that she could touch and feel to soothe herself, further enhanced by a calming colour palette of white, varying shades of pink with just a touch of apricot and the grey blue of Eucalypt foliage. Some of the flowers were chosen for their links to the past, like Flannel flower - indigenous to the bush where the bride grew up and Eriostemon which gives off a lovely citrusy scent, a link to her present garden. Excellent discussion of design elements and principles, colour and flower symbolism.

Janette Ireland

TAFE NSW

Padstow Campus

Purely Australian winner

(chosen by the judges)

Greta Claringbould, Canberra Institute of Technology

The best design using only Australian native flower and foliage products (species endemic to Australia).

“Rustic Australian Botanical Charm Creates Harmonious Fusion with Formality” – a wedding.

‘It takes 2’ - blending the natural beauty of Australian species with the structured elegance of formal wedding floristry to create a vibrant but harmonious blend of rustic charm combined with formal sophistication to reflect the unique beauty and versatility of Australian botanical elements, paired with a bride’s azure tint veil. Greta did extensive research into non-wired techniques for constructing her hand tied formal tear drop wedding bouquet, having chosen this design style to maintain a natural, organic flow to the bouquet, while still achieving a polished and elegant look.

An asymmetrical wired hairpiece was created by making two wired sprays, wired onto a headband, butting centrally into one another, with all mechanics hidden and exposed wires sealed off. 

Greta researched suitable plant materials to ensure they were Australian species, available during spring and provided the desired analogous colour palette of cream, yellow and rust with Emu fern providing contrasting green highlights. A high impact design due to the skillful groupings and colour choices.

Greta Claringbould

Canberra Institute of Technology

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Amy Kerr Menz, Canberra Institute of Technology

Melissa Meredith, TAFE NSW, Moss Vale campus

Innovation (certificate)

Eliza Heckendorf, TAFE NSW, Ryde campus

State winner - Queensland

Tomomi Kobayashi, TAFE Qld, Southbank

State winner – NSW

Song A Baek, Pearsons School of Floristry

Territory winner – ACT

Haenum Jung, Canberra Institute of Technology

State winner – Victoria

Yiling Huang, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, Vic

State winner - WA

Matthew Ryan, South Metro TAFE, WA

There were many absolutely stunning designs that didn’t qualify for a prize - please go to the WildFlowers Australia Facebook page to see all the entries and ‘like’ your favourites.

With the support of our generous sponsors, WFA looks forward to hosting the 2025 competition!