Catey’s flying the UK flag at Eurofleurs

She has no idea what flowers she will be working with, and her excess luggage allowance is HUGE but Catey Burn is off to represent the UK in the 2023 Eurofleurs.

Talking about the competition Catey, who works for Old Oak Floral Designers in Ascot and trains at Moreton Morrell College under the tutorage of Jane Benefield and Zoe Rowlinson, admitted to feeling a bit nervous but motivated! “It’s a big honour to have been chosen to represent my country but it’s given me the confidence to do my best.”

And doing her best will not just include technical and design skills but a bit of crystal ball gazing too as she explained. “There are five tasks (see the list below) but we can only take flowers for the wedding bouquet class. All the others are just themes and dimensions ... we have no idea what they will give us in terms of flowers or foliages so we have had to practice and think of every permutation possible and know inside out the rules and regulations!”

For the hand tied bouquet, they’ll have to cut their own flowers from the Arboretums cutting garden whilst another is a floating design ... it will be judged on both land and the lake!! ... but again absolutely nothing can be used that isn’t supplied by the competition organisers.

“It’s been a challenge ... the only task we have been able to practice is the wedding bouquet which I have made over and over again every time I go to college. The rest of the training, which has been sponsored by Moreton Morrell, has been coming up with design ideas based on the themes and a lot of what if’s!!”

The other challenge is just getting what she is allowed to take over to Slovenia. “It’s a bit too far to drive – it’s a 17 hour drive each way! – so I and my assistant, fellow MM student Katie Weekes, are flying. Currently I have four suitcases and have had to order my flowers from a local wholesaler, and I have no idea what it will cost me!”

Tricky logistics and battered bank balance aside Catey is still incredibly excited. “I never imagined I would be selected as the UK representative and feel privileged to have been chosen. It’s not been easy, what in floristry is, and I am just so appreciative to everyone for their help getting me to this point especially my boss Morgan Douglas-Nuth and tutors but I will give it my best shot!”

Knowing Catey as we do we reckon that’s exactly what she’ll do and we’re rooting for her every step of the way.

About Eurofleurs

Florint has been organising the European Championship for Young Florists, called Eurofleurs, since 1998 and is designed to help stimulate the professionalism of young floral designers, and put a spotlight on some of the world’s greatest upcoming talents!

The younger sibling of the famous Europa Cup, Eurofleurs is only open to florists under 26 (27 this year to take into account the missing Covid year gap) and provides skilled young floral artists with the opportunity to take their first steps on an international stage.

In 2023 Sustainability (no foam is allowed) and a ‘back to basics’ approach to floristry will be prominent and competitors be asked to create five designs:

#1 – “Trees Are My Friends” – a free arrangement.
#2 – “Summer Dreams” – a hand-tied bouquet
#3 – “Romantic picnic in a flowering meadow” – a picnic decoration
#4 – “The legend of the red and white roses” – a bridal bouquet – self chosen flowers
#5 – “Nothing can extinguish the flames of love” – a surprise floating design.

The competition, organised by Florint and featuring the talent of 12 young florists, is being held in the spectacular and historical Arboretum Volčji Potok botanical gardens in Slovenia with two days of prep and two days of tasks culminating in a grand finale during a special Garden Party in the grounds on Saturday 26th.
Organized by the Association of Florists and Gardeners of Slovenia and Arboretum Volčji Potok, with supervision from Florint, the International Florist Organisation. Alongside the EUROFLEURS 2023 floral art competition, the annual General Assembly of FLORINT will be organised on August 24.

The Competitors

Catey Burn, United Kingdom
Filip Hrouda, Czech Republic
Karoline Pedersen, Denmark
Benoit Barbin, France
Anian Friedrich, Germany
Esther Weijenberg, The Netherlands
Justine Givron, Belgium
Massimo Bundi, Switzerland
Weronika Kwiatek-Binda, Poland
Maša Troha, Slovenia
Henrietta Sutus, Hungary
Maris Paas, Estonia