FLOWER arrangers are mostly a peaceful bunch, but our secateurs were raised in outrage at your correspondent, Lesley Docksey’s, inaccurate and destructive letter about the Magna Flora Festival in Salisbury Cathedral!

I wonder whether Ms Docksey has ever visited an exhibition or gallery where she expected everything on show to conform to her particular taste? She clearly has very set ideas about how flowers should be arranged and closed her mind and eyes to the range of designs on display at the festival. Did she venture further than the nave? The three talented designers of Magna Flora included a great variety of styles for the 500 arrangers to work on, so that traditionalists, as well as the more adventurous, would find much to enjoy. A great proportion of the arrangements, notably those in prominent positions at the high altar, at the west door, along the south aisle, and in the cloisters, used flowers as she had hoped: their stalks and leaves were as prominent as she desired.

The festival, however, aimed also to reflect changing trends in floral art,which was surely in keeping with the theme of relevance: the relevance of an 800-year-old document to a modern and changing society. It seems unrealistic and reactionary to expect our form of artistic expression to stay as it was 50 years ago.

Ms Docksey’s complaints about health and safety issues were somewhat at odds with her comments on the arrangements.

It seems that, suddenly, stalks and leaves were so prominent that they threatened to scratch the faces and eyes of viewers.

Her criticisms in this regard were unfounded, as the cathedral staff kept a careful check on the number of people in the cathedral at any given moment and made sure that there was ample space between designs for wheelchair users. As arrangers, we were constantly reminded of the need for safety, both of ourselves and of visitors.

Many, many hours of exhausting work went into the planning and execution of this festival. How sad that such a sour voice should seek to destroy the positive impact of this wonderful event.

ROSLYN PEACE Ham, Wiltshire