| Every August since 1902 the island of Jersey, one of | | | | Prix d'Honneur. Although there are numerous awards |
| the Channel Islands, comes alive with its own flower | | | | to compete for, the Prix d'Honneur is the major title |
| parade. Originally conceived as a way of celebrating | | | | and is awarded for the best 40-45 foot long float |
| the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen | | | | decorated using only natural flowers. |
| Alexandra, the parade has been suspended only | | | | An equivalent award, the Prix d'Honneur de Papier is |
| during the First World War and again during the | | | | available for the best float decorated with paper |
| Occupation of the Channel Islands during World War | | | | flowers but it is the award for the use of natural |
| II. The success of the first parade was such that it | | | | flowers, primarily chrysanthemums and astors, which |
| was repeated the next year and thus the tradition | | | | is the most coveted. Although the parade takes |
| was established for all to enjoy. | | | | place on Jersey, it has strong links with both the UK |
| The parade was originally made up of horse drawn | | | | and Holland as the majority of the thousands of |
| floats which were covered with massive floral | | | | chrysanthemum and other blooms needed to |
| decorations and in the first parades it was natural for | | | | decorate the floats with their intricate designs are |
| the men of the island to take flowers from these | | | | flown in especially before being painstakingly |
| displays and throw them to a lady in the crowd. | | | | assembled and arranged by hand. |
| Occasionally, flowers were either thrown back from | | | | Today the magnificent floral designs are joined on |
| the crowd, or they were thrown from the crowd to | | | | the floats by the competing groups of revelers and |
| people in the procession - whichever the case, the | | | | they dress in spectacular fancy dress costumes. In |
| tradition of the Battle was born. | | | | the recent past these groups have included Grecian |
| Although the parade and battle continued as an island | | | | warriors, beautiful oriental maidens and pre-historic |
| event, it was not until the start of the 1950's that a | | | | cavewomen all in appropriate fancy dress. The |
| group of local businessmen decided that the Battle of | | | | costume theme selected by each of the competing |
| the Flowers could become a major focus for both | | | | groups reflects the overall design of the float and is |
| the both the community and the tourism industry | | | | always complementary. |
| which was starting to grow. | | | | Although the creation of a floral display using natural |
| With the continued growth of the event as a major | | | | flowers will be cost prohibitive for most costume |
| tourist attraction, the concept of throwing flowers | | | | party organisers, the creation of a paper flower |
| between the procession and the crowd, and from | | | | backdrop should not be - although it will take some |
| the crowd to the procession, was abandoned from | | | | time to plan and complete. That said, what could be |
| the 1964 parade onwards. Today the major focus of | | | | better than creating your own version of Prix |
| the battle is towards the fierce competition between | | | | d'Honneur de Papier winner from this year's parade |
| each of the groups preparing their float in-order to | | | | and selecting their fancy dress costume theme for |
| win the most coveted and prestigious award, the | | | | your own costume party? |