Swift Current florist starts new year on a high note at Rose Parade

Masses of flowers were used to decorate the float. The decorating team worked four days on the float ahead of the judging on Dec. 31. The Donate Life float won the Extraordinaire Trophy for most extraordinary float.

“It’s one of the higher categories to win,” she said. “The goal of many of the large floats is to win the Sweepstakes award, but this is kind of next in line to that, for sure. It’s a huge accomplishment and a fabulous win.”

Parsons said it was a hectic and busy time to decorate the float and it required meticulous attention to detail. For example, she personally used 600 roses, 400 carnations and 200 orchids and other flowers to decorate just a very small section of the float.

“My very first day was 14 hours, and that was the shortest day I had,” she said. “We are very tired, but it’s very satisfying. … It is physically demanding and then it depends where on the float we’re decorating. I crawled in and out and off and on the float numerous times, over and through the gondolas, and then up on the top of the float base many times. It’s challenging and you have to start to be even more flexible as more floral gets placed on the float. There’s only a couple of spots you can have access to as we start to fill the float more.”

She is a professional florist with Certified Floral Designer accreditation. She is also an accredited member of both the Canadian Academy of Floral Art and the American Institute of Floral Designers.

She got her first opportunity to be a floral decorate at the Rose Parade in 2018 as a result of her active involvement with the American Institute of Floral Designers. She will eagerly return again if she receives another invitation to be a floral decorator at the Rose Parade.

“It’s so rewarding,” she said. “I feel proud to be part of it and rewarding to finish it and to see it come to full fruition is something that I would not want to miss. … I love sharing the joy of flowers. It was a remarkable and amazing experience. I’m happy to represent Saskatchewan when I go.”

Photos submitted Members of the decoration team for the Courage to Hope float stand with their completed work. Swift Current florist Poppy Parsons is standing in the centre, sixth from the right.

Swift Current florist Poppy Parsons stands in front of the Courage to Hope float of Donate Life during the decoration preparations for the 2022 Rose Parade.

The Courage to Hope float of Donate Life moves down a street during the 2022 Rose Parade on New Year's Day.