I'd like some opinions, please. If I am producing multiple bouquets of flowers from a foulard, should I show both sides of the foulard between each bouquet, or is it sufficient to show it only before the first and after the last? Or maybe there are other options? Thanks!

The Garden Of Flowers routine is typically done by showing both sides of the foulard on both sides of the cloth between bouquet productions. Typically, a bowl of water or large production is used as a finally.

If using sleeves then it is not necessary, as the cloth is turned over onto the other hand and arm, and that show both sides automatically.

Abbott Magic makes and sells the foulard separately, in a basic model and a deluxe model, as well as the flowers.

Pat Page's method for producing 2 or 3 bouquets without any foulard is very good as well.

I watched Harry Blackstone Sr. do HIS Garden of Flowers, in November 1945. Harry "FILLED" the stage with bouquets! It began with four bouquets from b*dy loads, then four from the foulard. THEN, he stole a load of perhaps a dozen "dart" bouquets.

Many years later at Bob Lund's Museum, Bob handed me THAT load bag. There were some ingenious ideas incorporated!

About 35 years ago, I used the Garden of Flrs. Foulard when I did a tour of "phone promotion" shows. I quickly learned a "trick or two", with the foulard, which was made by the late Bill Brewe. One side was a nice solid color. The "gaffed" side, was "patterned". (so well was it patterned, that, after showing it, I held it with the patterned side OUT. The wire loops were "lost" against the pattern. I didn't need to feel around to find them! I could SEE them.

I had seen too many performers who held the foulard too low, when they produced a bouquet. I want the EFFECT of the production, to be at at least waist level. I never grasped the wire loop and pulled the bouquet DOWN. I grasped the loop and RAISED the foulard. (The bouquets were "unveiled".)

There are four bouquets furnished with the foulard. --Because the foulard has four corners!!!!!! THREE is the psychological number! So, I had Recil Bordner make up his "tub of flowers" for a final production. (A rabbit could be produced from the tub, for a kicker.)

When a bouquet is produced (from "wherever", it should be held with the TOP of the bouquet towards the audience. (They don't need to see your fist holding the stems! Let them see all the flowers!

Either hand the bouquets to assistant(S), or put them in vases on tables, for display. Richard Hughes makes beautiful bouquets. They aren't cheap! Let the folks SEE the flowers, not your hands!

Oh! the tub of flowers, was produced, using the foulard.

The effect is the magical production of bouquets of flowers not pulling flowers from a foulard. Most performers I've seen use a foulard that is so obviously stiff and loaded at the start only to become flexible after the production. It telegraphs where the flowers are coming from. Further a mistake some magicians make is to reach under the cloth and pull the flowers down and away from the cloth.The cloth never moves. Again telegraphing where the load came from. A better way is to pull the cloth away from the flowers. The cloth does all the movement.

The rhythm or sequence is: toss a cloth over an empty hand, immediately pull the cloth away exposing and displayinga bouquet of flowers. The hand holding the flowers never moved the appearance is magical. See Dick Oslund's note on the proper display of the produced flower bouquet.

Over three decades ago I performed a version of the "Garden of Flowers". I had two double sleeve loads and a foulard that had one double load. It was the only pocket in the cloth. The first load came from the cloth. The cloth (now limp and "normal" appearing square of cloth was tossed over my arm as I split the bouquet of flowers into two. flowers set aside and the cloth pulled down, over and off my empty hand and the second bouquet was magically produced and split. The same sequence of moves wasused for the final production, i.e., the cloth pulled down and over the hand, flowers produced, and displayed). The cloth was tossed on a small table (Abbott's "Tub of flowers" (Dick and I think very much alike!).

After the final bouquet is split into two and put aside (in vases), the cloth is grabbed and the tub of flowers magically appears from under it. In all there were three productions making six bouquets and a finale of a tub of flowers. All from a seemingly thin, limp, and "normal" square of cloth.

At the start of the routine the cloth was shown on both sides. The pocket corner was held in the left hand. It took less than a half of a minute to flourish the cloth open square between both hands, show both sides briefly, and toss it over my empty hand. There was no hesitation as soon as the cloth relaxed on the hand it was pulled sharply away and the production displayed.

Thanks to all for the great advice! I had already decided I need to raise the foulard rather than pulling the flowers down - glad to see I was correct in that. I'll incorporate some of the other tips as well. Again, thank you!

PS Good! You're on the way!

I forgot to answer one of your questions. I only show the foulard ONCE. That's enough. Showing the foulard more than once, just slows the presentation down.

Thank you again! I was leaning toward showing it once, given the combination of my skill and the condition of my props. My flowers have a tendency to slip out of the pockets if I move the foulard too much.

Yer Welcome!

Bill mentioned Patrick Page. He had a great barehanded flower bouquet production, which I have also used to produce a parasol. Just adding this should you sometimes wish to produce one bouquet.

Ok. When you do the Garden of flowers a quarter turn of the "tent" will automatically put the bouquet in proper position for the next production. As said, you lift the foulard off the bouquet and not pull the bouquet out.

I do the first three traditionally with the tent method and the last is draped over my arm to produce it. This sets me up to do a steal for the finale.

Don't forget to pause and sell the production! You have just done a miracle. Don't undersell the production and step on your applause. I try to play to different areas of the audience to involve everyone.

Here is a link of how I do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuPOtLZCttE.