NATCHEZ &8212; A floral designer for 40 years, Ralph Null has traveled the world with his entertaining and educational lectures and workshops.

On Nov. 9, Null brings his design expertise to Natchez, presenting a workshop at 10 a.m. at the Natchez Convention Center, sponsored by the Garden Club of America and the Pilgrimage Garden Club.

A Mississippi native who grew up in Lauderdale County, Null directed the retail floral design program at Mississippi State University for 25 years. He retired from MSU in 1992, subsequently receiving the honorary title of professor emeritus.

After retiring from his university post, Null continued to work at a fast pace, consulting and designing and traveling widely.

&8220;In 1999, I had a bout with cancer,&8221; he said. &8220;After that, I decided to do only what I most enjoy.&8221;

What he enjoys is giving the kind of program he will present in Natchez &8212; demonstrating floral design.

&8220;I try to inform, to entertain and to create an awareness of the beauty of what surrounds us in Southern gardens,&8221; he said.

Natchez gardeners will gather materials from their gardens for him to use. And he will bring some commercial specimens to use as accent pieces.

His arrangements are known for their flow and for artistic use of space. &8220;But on the flip side of that, I might do something just the opposite,&8221; he said. The unexpected and the surprise are part of what keeps an audience engaged.

&8220;You can&8217;t let the audience get too comfortable. They start sinking away from you,&8221; he said.

&8220;I work fast and do everything in front of the audience,&8221; he said. The program will be about an hour and 15 minutes. &8220;In that time, I&8217;ll do 10 or 12 pieces.&8221;

Stella Carby, one of the organizers of the event, said anyone who loves flowers, gardening and horticulture should attend this event.

&8220;And this is for people like me. I love flowers and I&8217;m pretty good at growing them, but I don&8217;t have many skills in arranging them.&8221;

Carby said Null in his presentations helps would-be designers to feel less intimidated about working with flowers.

Further, anyone who enjoys seeing beautiful flower arrangements should enjoy the presentation. &8220;We&8217;ve invited garden clubs from all over Mississippi to come and hope this will bring a lot of people to Natchez,&8221; Carby said.

Null&8217;s arrangements have graced some famous places, including the White House.

&8220;I&8217;ve had an interesting career,&8221; he said. &8220;I did the first fresh-flower exhibit at the Smithsonian in connection with their Victorian show.&8221;

He has worked in England, South Africa, Japan and other countries as well as across the United States.

One of his most unusual experiences was in Tokyo, where his arranging was done on stage in a kabuki drama.

&8220;I did a bridge piece that was tall, on each side and extended almost across the stage,&8221; he said.

As he worked on the arrangement, dressed in full Japanese kimona, kabuki players handed him materials and picked up behind him.

The author of four books, Null will have copies to sell and to sign at the Natchez event.

The books are &8220;Spring Arrangements from the Southern Garden,&8221; &8220;Summer Arrangements from the Southern Garden,&8221; &8220;Autumn/Winter Arrangements from the Southern Garden&8221; and &8220;Christmas Collections.&8221;

Tickets to the workshop are $25 and are available at the door on the day of the program.