Name: Dueling Designers: Triple Threat
Start: 2025-11-05T17:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-11-05T19:30:00-05:00

DUELING DESIGNERS:
TRIPLE THREAT

Join us as we take this holiday tradition to the next level for a triple threat holiday designers challenge. This highly entertaining and educational floral design competition features 3 designers in 2025: David Pippin, Al Brockwell and Kate Vernon. Each designer will bring floral materials and 3 of the same container to the event, but what each designer brings will be a mystery to the others. During the event, all three designers will simultaneously create gorgeous and unique holiday designs using the same container, sourcing from the combined available materials. You’ll laugh through the evening while gaining ideas for your own holiday décor. David, Al and Kate will provide tips and tricks along the way and show off their final creations in this friendly competition. Enjoy a glass of wine or non-alcoholic beverage along with light hors d’ oeuvres (included); all arrangements will be raffled at the end of the program (containers included). This event is perfect for date night or an evening out with friends.

All programs are subject to change.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden strives to be a Garden for all and we are committed to offering diverse adult learning opportunities that are inclusive and accessible to all learners. If you would like to request an accommodation to support your participation in an adult learning opportunity at the Garden, please contact [email protected] or call 804-262-9887 x320 and we will make our best effort to help.

Event Details

GES: FD, 1, elective*

*This course offers 1 hour of elective credit for students in the Garden Education Series: Floral Design Certificate program. Non-certificate students are welcome.

About the Instructors

Al Brockwell is an award-winning floral designer with the rare AIFD designation. He specializes in designs for large events. Semi-retired, he currently works with Flowers Make Scents in Midlothian, Virginia.

David Pippin’s name is well-known in Richmond’s horticultural world. A sought-after designer of inspired floral arrangements, a provider of garden-themed hands-on programs for children and adults, and an educator with a wide range of horticultural knowledge and experience, David is indeed a “man for all seasons.” He has been featured at the “Fine Arts and Flowers” annual event at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Although surrounded by flower arrangements and cutting gardens from childhood, Kate Hugo Vernon did not expect her degree in 3-D Art to lead to a career in floral design. She worked as a software consultant and mother of five before launching The Arranger’s Market, her online shop, and then her floral design business. Kate’s passion for color and imaginative design soon became apparent in her work for events, in her workshops, and in demonstrations. “This should be easy: Mother Nature has already done the hard part” became her motto, as she shared tips on how to simplify the arranging process without sacrificing creative possibilities. In addition to working as a floral designer and proprietor of The Arranger’s Market, Kate now shares floral design tips on social media, where she posts novel ways to display local flowers, greens and veggies and models an approach to arranging that is both sophisticated and fun.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

DUELING DESIGNERS:TRIPLE THREAT

Event Details

About the Instructors

DUELING DESIGNERS:
TRIPLE THREAT