The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS) stands as the Southern Hemisphere’s most prestigious horticultural event, with an overall global ranking within the top 3. The focus combines unparalleled artistry together with innovation of garden and floral design. It is held annually at the historic Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia and attracts designers, florists, landscape architects, and garden enthusiasts from across the globe.
Renowned for its creativity and focus on sustainability, the show features stunning floral displays, immersive gardens, and cutting-edge landscape concepts. Visitors enjoy expert talks, live demonstrations, and the latest trends in eco-conscious horticulture.
Among this year’s attendees were the Latvian Ambassador, His Excellency Margers Krams and his wife, Sandra Krama. They were personally toured through award-winning exhibits by the CEO of Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV), which plays a key part in delivering MIFGS each year and received a Vase · Eclipse Gold in recognition of their visit.
On the final day, VAIDAVA CERAMICS’s Asia Pacific partner, NuNord, secured exclusive use of VAIDAVA CERAMICS for the main stage Florist Master Challenge. Renowned florists Richie Go and Lynne Dallas competed live, creating floral arrangements from mystery bouquets using only VAIDAVA CERAMICS pieces—none of which were traditional vases—adding an exciting twist to the competition.
One of the specific requirements was that all of the provided ceramic tableware items had to be utilised and this was made more difficult by the fact that the organisers had specifically decided to choose non-vase structures. As can be seen from the picture, the Centrepiece bowl · Eclipse together with other Eclipse and Earth collection items had been selected for them by the lead curator for the exhibition.
Under the lights of the competition stage and in front of a large audience, the two floristry artists stood side by side, their workstations a battleground of colour, texture, and precision. The air close to the stage was thick with the scent of fresh blooms and mixed with professionally polite yet unspoken rivalry at the same time. Every movement was followed carefully by each other as well as the audience, every glance at the table between the artists was a silent challenge, keen to produce a more exciting decorative element. This was further heightened by the master of ceremonies (an accomplished floristry artist himself) explaining to the audience what was happening and cheekily diverting the artists’ attention from their work with various questions and commentary in real time.
It is truly amazing to see what professionals can accomplish in a short period of time, even with additional challenges of the element of surprise thrust upon them (in this case both flowers and vessels to place them in).
Richie Go, pictured earlier with his floral creations, later returned to the stage for a solo performance. Using more traditional vases this time, he reflected on the earlier challenge and praised VAIDAVA CERAMICS for their beauty and versatility.
It’s been a proud moment for VAIDAVA CERAMICS, further strengthening its global reputation for high-quality, handmade ceramicware. The event also served as a reminder that ceramic tableware—typically used for serving food—can be reimagined as elegant vessels for floral design. Whether for a formal dinner, wedding, or everyday setting, these pieces bring together function and artistry, perfectly aligning with Vaidava’s mission: handcrafted traditions for celebrating life.
As spring blooms in the Northern Hemisphere, we invite you to get creative and explore the art of floral arrangement using your favourite VAIDAVA CERAMICS product!