Floral design workshops will lead up to the garden show

As a lead-up to next year's Wichita Garden Show, the show's educational foundation is sponsoring a series of five floral design workshops this fall and winter.

The workshops, co-sponsored by the show's Amateur Flower Show Committee, are meant to teach design elements and principles, build confidence in design ability and give hands-on experience on how to win at the 2010 Wichita Garden Show Design Competition.

The schedule of topics: grape vine wreaths, Nov. 16; all-green arrangements, Dec. 15; designs using tropicals, Jan. 11; designing outside the box, Jan. 26; and judges critiquing your arrangement, Feb. 8.

Classes will be $25 each, and participants will make and take home an arrangement each session. The sessions will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Bison Room at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center at 21st and Ridge Road.

Presenters will be retired horticulture agent Norman Warminski, Gary Hackbart Jr. of American Classic Designs and flower-show judge Floanna Crowley.

To register, e-mail wichitagardenshow@sbcglobal.net or call the show office at 316-946-0883.