Battle stations

Tissue paper or courtesy of Mother Nature? Either way, contestants in this year's Battle of Flowers are racing against the clock to affix the final blooms. Shaun Shackleton spoke to some of them - and discovered that Guernsey's Battle is just one of many around the globe. THERE'S no longer a physical battle and the flowers are mostly paper. But enthusiasm for the Battle of Flowers is as strong as ever.

'It's an awful lot of work for the exhibitors and they work very hard designing their entries,' said Christine Marquis, of the Battle committee.

'It's a big commitment.'

She's a fan of the torchlight procession and is glad that Guernsey's Battle still retains a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, especially when it comes to the judging.

'Jersey's a different ball game,' she said. 'They actually measure the size of the flowers.'

In Guernsey, the finishing touches are being put to some of the floats, while those featuring fresh flowers are still in the making.

First-time entrants from the Guernsey Beekeepers' Association are following an appropriately apoidean theme. Hidden in a secret lock-up at Le Vauquiedor, their float is taking shape beautifully.

'We wanted it to be different,' said Jeannine Tanquerel, the association secretary.

'We wanted it to be concealed and for people to say, "Who is driving the float?".'

The frame has been built on a three-wheeler Wrigley truck and consists of two hives in a garden - one of them a skep, an old-fashioned wicker construction.

'The plywood came from a packing case that held parts from New Zealand for the PEH incinerator,' said Chris Tomlins, beekeeper and chief float builder.

'We started it about three weeks ago, working evenings, and it's taken about 20 hours' work so far.'When I visited last Sunday, everyone involved was about to start work and it looked as if there would be many more hours ahead.

On the floor were boxes of tissue paper blooms marked green, yellow and white and these will be used to transform the float.

'The flowers have been made by Olive Jackson and her group of helpers at Longe Rue House,' said Jeannine.

'And also Kath Luxon, who is 101 years old, and her group from Orchard House. It's been a real community effort.'

But just as much detail has gone into the costumes, which have been made by Liz Tomlins and Jill Vaudin.

'The workers have fuzzy black and yellow bodies and wings made from coat hangers and poly paper from Forest Stores,' said Jill.

The bees include one queen, two drones and 11 workers and are overseen by Leon Collenette - dressed in white overalls and a netting hat - who, at the age of six, is Guernsey's youngest beekeeper.

Will they be entering next year?

'Chris has already got some ideas,' said Jeannine. 'But you're going to have to come back this time next year to find out what they are.'

But it seems that it's not the prospect of winning or even the competing that attracts entrants, more the camaraderie of the float building and the fun in taking part.

'We've had a bloomin' laugh,' said Jeannine.

Alzheimer's Society fund-raising coordinator Liz Head upholds the tradition of using real flowers - in this case, marigolds and asters grown in her St Saviour's field.

This is the second year in which the society is appearing and the theme of their float is The Wizard of Oz.

'The float has been designed by Stan Baker and there'll be masses of Munchkins and green people,' said Liz. 'There'll be children and adults playing the characters and 'Dorothy's' mother found her ruby slippers in London.'

Floats that use paper flowers can be made weeks beforehand but because Liz and her team use real flowers, theirs has to be dressed just days before.

'Fifty people have been involved this year,' said Liz. 'It takes a lot.'The society's float can be seen in both the afternoon and the illuminated parade.

'The organisers do a grand job and I think it's important to support them,' said Liz.

Paul and Caroline Creed are first-timers, but their children aren't.

So this year they have and their theme is Dr Who.

'It's on a pull-along trailer and the float is a Tardis,' she said. 'It'll be our friends, the La Maitres, and us and there will be three kids dressed as Daleks, my husband, Paul, will be Dr Who and me and my friend will be Cyberwomen.'

Like the Alzheimer's Society's entry, the Creed-La Maitre float will be made from real flowers.

'Marigolds and, I think, asters,' said Caroline. 'You can't get as many colours from real flowers as you can from paper ones, but we should be all right for the blues and purples of the Tardis.'

Despite the hard work, it's the fun of the fine details that many entrants love to get right - and Caroline's no different.

'We've worked for a few hours each day for a week, doing bits each, and we've taken as long on the Daleks as we've done on the Tardis.'

So what can we expect of this year's Battle of Flowers?

Dozens of hopeful entrants, hundreds of tired but proud float builders, a brilliant display of imagination, determination and craftsmanship and thousands of awestruck spectators.

And as for Guernsey's late festivities compared with Texas, Spain, France, Italy and Jersey?

We're just saving the best Battle until last.