Okay, all you creative people, see what you think. Our local society's show
and sale is next weekend. I'm doing a tabletop display. The theme of the
show is "The Wonder of Orchids".

I think too many exhibits are too "busy"- meaning they have too much in them to
really set the plants off.

Natural themes can be very well done, but they are just something everyone
does- and most of the time not nearly as ingenious as they could be. I rarely
see more than 3-4 non "natural" scenes at a show, and even given their common
presence they rarely attempt to be original.

Thus, what I would suggest is aim for a very simple and ethereal theme
suggesting "wonder."

We often look at clouds and wonder, and clouds happen to be a great setting to
show off orchids (being solid white) and inexpensive to reproduce.

This will work especially well if you have some very intensely colored flowers
to show off- especially reds or dark purples.

Cotton batting can be formed into clouds and I would add a generous dose of
silver glitter to add a bit of sparkle and intrigue.

For a floor exhibit, 2-3 foot tall plastic grecian columns could come up from a
floor of batting with bits of cotton batting hanging from them. Better still,
use wire plant stands with only a single leg in the center and cover those with
the batting and the plants will look as though they are being hoisted by cloud
"hands."

For a tabletop, easier still. Just the usual upside down pots to offer some
various height levels for plants if needed.

The trick is the backdrop. It would be tough to really make this stunning with
a blue sky ground unless you have a really professional looking horizon job
suggesting depth. So I would say just use the cotton batting to create a
textured backdrop against plywood or foam core. If you really got a thick
texture going, it could even be made to look like a giant cloud head.

And the best part is that you have nothing but white with a subtle glitter
sheen to offset your plants. Very dramatic and certainly out of the ordinary!

Then spotlights on the plants as you are able, and you are set.

Hope this inspires a direction for ya!

Take care,

Tom.