The 91st Flower Show held at school on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 February 2019 was a resounding success and a spectacular celebration of all things Jeppe, in this our centenary year! The commercial manager of Mayford Seeds, Paul Vonk acknowledged it as the 2nd best Flower Show in South Africa, after the Chelsea style Pietermaritzburg Flower Show. Quite something for a school event – in the words of our headmistress, Ms Gonçalves, it comes on the back of 91 years of practice!
Ahead of the event, the girls were inspired by guest speaker, Professor Juaneé Cilliers, from the department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of North West. She delivered a passionate environmentally themed address about the value of the trees of Johannesburg, (which is recognised as the world's largest city in a man-made forest), and the importance of green spaces.
One hundred and seventy-one Old Girls participated in the event, arranging their flowers on Thursday evening, and providing a beautiful backdrop in the foyer for the two-day event which featured over two thousand school girl arrangements. Mrs Pat Jarvis, (Protea House, 1948 and a long time supporter of the Ruth First programme) officially opened proceedings in the Hall on Friday afternoon.
This is what some of our Ruthie participants had to say:
An amazing experience which provides the opportunity to experiment and get your creative juices flowing and showcase your talent and creativity. It is one of the highlights of my high school career and an amazing tradition that I would love to see grow and prosper. Tasneem Bharoochi, Gr 12
It was a hit! It took lots of planning and dedication to get the desired result. My arrangements replicated my personality and creativity which the judges really liked. Lucky Geluk, Gr 9
Stressful but rewarding. I enjoy showing my talent and receiving a reward. Sheila Kruger, Gr 10
Amazing and busy! Never had I seen such beauty and colour before. A day never to forget. Basiame Legoabe, Gr 8
It was quite overwhelming deciding which flowers to buy and how to arrange them. In the end I had a wonderful time with friends, family and many, many flowers! Enyonam Moshikaro, Gr 10
Loads of fun! Because I was prepared, it was a lot less stressful! I got a special and a first for my arrangements and hope to enter more categories next year. Diya Narotam, Gr 9
A phenomenal experience. It’s amazing how the girls can be so creative with their arrangements. When you get to school in the morning, you just get the feel of the excitement in the air. Amanda Ndlela, Gr 10
The category that stood out for me was ‘Arrangement in a teacup’ because it’s amazing to see how much beauty can come out in something small. Escar Ndonga, Gr 9
Flower Show was a success! A beautiful sunny day with gorgeous flowers and beautiful aromas. It made me realise that we take nature for granted and we don’t appreciate it enough. Lulama Nodada, Gr 11
The air was filled with joyful laughter and the intoxicating scent of flowers floated through the hallways. Monique Teixeira, Gr 12
Making the arrangements was a new experience for me since I’ve never dealt with flowers before. It was really fun! Noelle van der Merwe, Gr 8
An amazing experience. The arrangements looked beautiful. A fun filled day - I became closer to people in my class, and other people as well. Taybah Petersen, Gr 8
A festive, joyful and lively day: I didn’t want it to come to an end and I definitely look forward to the next one! Katlego Mokgatla, Gr 8
Diya Narotam, Grade 9 Ruthie, busy on her arrangement, is pictured in the photo above.