Flower children
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 14 years, 5 months AGO
<p>SHAWN GUST/Press Lily DiGiovanni and Isaac Wall, both 10, were top finishers in the "Critters" youth division last month at the World Association of Flower Arrangers flower show last month in Boston.</p>
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | July 8, 2011 9:00 PM
COEUR d'ALENE - When Joyce DiGiovanni goes for a walk with her granddaughter, they see bright, beautiful flowers all around their home and neighborhood.
They also see more.
Like, what else can those flowers become.
"I like the fact Lilly and I don't look at flowers," Joyce said. "It's what can we do to make this into something different."
Different is good.
Especially when it comes to flower shows.
Lilly, 10, and 10-year-old cousin Isaac Wall of Coeur d'Alene both claimed honors in the World Association of Flower Arrangers World Flower Show held last month in Boston.
Entered in the youth dry plant material category, each took first place ribbons, Lilly's was in the imaginary critter class, while Isaac's was in the real classification. Lilly also took home a silver medal and Isaac, a bronze, in judging of first-place winners.
Joyce, their grandmother, is a floral designer who has been entering flower shows and competitions more than 20 years. She said the World Flower Show is only held every three years and attracts entries from more than 100 countries. She attended the show in Boston, while Lilly and Isaac mailed in their entries.
"I was very proud to walk in there and see Lilly and Isaac's names with the awards," she said.
Lilly's blue creation was made of an artichoke flower, fern and poppy seeds.
"I was going for a mouse, but it turned out to be an imaginary critter, so it's like an imaginary mouse critter," she said with a smile.
The Winton Elementary student worked on it two days.
"I was really proud of myself," she said. "I think it's really cool because it won something for me. I didn't know I could ever make something like that."
Isaac, reserved and quiet, made a pig using a gourd, soybeans and bamboo. He was surprised to win and entered at the urging of his grandmother.
"It was just fun to do," he said.
The next World Flower Show is in Ireland in three years, and Joyce DiGiovanni hopes to attend, while Lilly and Isaac plan to send in entries, again.
DiGiovanni, who recently entered a floral design in a New Zealand show, said the success of Lilly and Isaac means more than medals for decorations at home.
With this honor, comes a title.
"Now, they're classified as international designers because they were in an international show," she said with a smile.
She loves sharing her flower fervor with Lilly and Isaac and believes they have a talent for innovation.
"I like passing on a different art medium. Instead of coloring or painting, they're learning art using plant material," DiGiovanni said. "I am very proud of them."
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