The Singapore Special : Everything Looks Good with Silver

Your favourite floral podcast is back for one very special episode.

Nearly three weeks ago, I came home from Singapore after assisting Matthew at the Floral Windows to the World Championship, and I think I’ve only just about recovered from the humidity.

Matthew was there representing Australia. Last year, he assisted me at the World Cup in The Hague and, after I became ill, also became my nurse, mother, PR and general keeper of everything. So it felt only right that I returned the favour.

It was a wild week.

Matthew competed against designers from 17 countries, completing three prepared pieces followed by a series of surprise tasks. There was a dream portal, a table for two, a hand-tied bouquet, a giant umbrella, an enormous Chinese opera mask and, finally, a live task on stage in front of the judges and audience.

Somewhere among all of that, we wired several hundred test tubes, brushed moss with tiny brushes, searched Singapore for the right plants and confirmed that neither of us should ever be relied upon for serious carpentry.

And then Matthew won silver.

Second in the world, after his first competition of this scale since 2007. I was enormously proud of him then, and I still am now.

The morning after the final, while everything was still very fresh, we sat down and recorded this one-off World Championship Special.

We talk through the whole experience, from the initial invitation and the rather relaxed preparation schedule to the designs, the surprise tasks, the judging and that final moment on stage.

There are some genuinely useful thoughts in there about competition work too. About trusting your experience, making decisions under pressure and knowing when to stop overthinking and simply get on with it.

There is also quite a lot of nonsense. Naturally.

Come for the competition. Stay for the chaos, the cold dinner and the proof that silver really does go with everything.

LISTEN TO THE FLOWERS AFTER HOURS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL

I hope you enjoy it.

Until next time,