Loquat branches and Altissimo roses

Hello all,

This afternoon we had our our last for the year Sogetsu workshop. It was led by Elizabeth Angel and she set us the challenge of creating an arrangement using two, non-matching containers. Initially, I created the above arrangement for this exercise but, then, I changed my mind because I wanted to use my Hanashobu (Ensata) iris, which are just starting to flower. I cut the iris in bud together with their leaves, thinking that they would be fully opened by today. Sadly, I was wrong. So, I kept the leaves but replaced the Hanashobu iris wth the Siberian iris.

I arranged them in the traditional way in a wavy suiban and added sprigs of russet coloured Japanese Maple and pebbles. I then added the tall vase, from which I draped the weeping willow, providing a 'curtain' through which to see the iris. Unfortunately, the very delicate, new leaves started to dry and curl by the time I got to the workshop. When I brought it home, I stripped the leaves from the branches and added another branch, as was needed.

The photograph is a little deceptive in the way the willow
looks. In reality it drapes forward

The work in the room was quite varied and interesting. Give Christopher a day or two to post the blog and after that you can go to Sogetsu Ikebana Melbourne for all the photographs.


Last week we also had the last for the year meeting of Ikebana International. We were to make New Year arrangements. Margaret Wilson demonstrated this theme, using corky elm, painted white, waratahs and mizuhiki. Please go to II Melbourne for more photographs from the meeting.

 

Below is my arrangement. I used pine, hippeastrums. variegated euphorbia and mizuhiki.

Nicole moved away from the typical red, white and green and opted for mauve and green. She used pirezii, asparagus fern, dried wisteria and a cheeky green bauble in a mauve vase.

During a recent forage in my garden I noticed that the wisteria was hellbent on climbing the loquat tree and the persimmon tree. With cutters in hand I proceeded to rescue my trees. This, of course, gave me material to play with. Apart from the bulk of the cuttings that ended up in the compost bin, below are the ones that made it into arrangements.

I played with stripping the leaves and just leaving the spikes on the wisteria canes. In the first arrangement, I caught  them together creating interesting shapes. It is not clear in the photo but I arranged the wisteria stems in a roughly spiral shape around the Siberian iris. In the second I created a rough circle and added a curly-stemmed ornithogalum.

I leave you with this cheeky arrangement made with left over pine and re-used ornithogalum.

Bye for now,
Emily