| Shed no tear! O shed no tear! The flowers will bloom another year. Weep no more! O weep no more! Young buds sleep in the root's white core. Faery Song. John Keats (1795-1821) |
The Manor House of George Smith
For over thirty years George Smith's talents have enthralled thousands at the world's premier floral events in twenty five countries on six continents. Major highlights include the State Garden Club Convention in Boston and three Williamsburg Garden Symposiums in the USA, and visits to Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela in Latin America. He has lectured before crowned heads of Europe at the Floralies of Ghent, the Palace of Versailles and the famed International Concours de Bouquet in Monte Carlo, founded by the late Princess Grace and continued by Princess Caroline. In Africa he has made visits to Kenya, Zimbabwe and to South Africa for the 10th World Orchid Congress. New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan are all part of his long distance experiences in the Antipodes and the Orient.
George Smith has demonstrated at National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies of Great Britain (NAFAS) National Festivals, and is a Special Associate of Honour of the Association, in recognition of the many thousands of pounds he has raised for this charity.
Between 1968 and 1980 the late Duke & Duchess of Beaufort invited him to decorate Badminton House for the annual Three Day Equestrian Event and he had the honour to be included in the Royal House Party on nine occasions.
As artistic director of many successful flower festivals in Yorkshire's stately homes and cathedrals, nothing has surpassed the floral displays he created for the rededication of York Minster's South Transept in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen in 1988. His stunning creations were seen by millions on national television.
George Smith's home is this charming Manor House here at Heslington (Photo 1), famous for its three acre garden (Photo 2) filled with a wonderful collection of flower arrangers' plants (Photo 3).
He is the author of three books on the art of flower arrangement. His book "George Smith's Flower Decoration" has been described as a definitive work on the subject from the hands of a master craftsman.
Group visits, by appointment only, start with a tour of the house and garden and end with a talk 'My World of Flowers' illustrated with colour transparencies in the Old Granary Studio.