30th November, 2020

Hello all,

This week my ikebana had to take a back seat as I concentrate on recovering from surgery. Nothing very serious but a colossal pain, nevertheless. So I'm going to introduce you, if you're not already familiar with it, to the above publication. I copied the short blurb, below, but there's more information out there, should anyone want it.

Masterclass Ikebana is the eighth volume in the Stichting Kunstboek's international series focusing on Ikebana. These books haven't gone unnoticed and over the years have found their way to the various Ikebana Headquarters in Japan and their Grand Masters (Iemoto).

Ikebanists from around the world submit photographs of their work, from which the publishing company select and then, a book is born. A number of Melbourne Sogetsu members have participated in this and other volumes. Lucy and I have had our work included in the last four and I will share with you our photographs in this publication. In case anyone is concerned, we will not be breaching copyright. I checked.

The first two are Lucy's.

 

The next two are mine.

We had to remove two of the huge trunks of the tropical bird of paradise. strelitzia nicolai and were, thus, able to reach some of the flowers. Poor, old Sam again had to risk life and limb to cut them but he did so despite my protestations that they were not worth the risk.

Just call him Tarzan

Having cut the flowers and having given some to Lucy and Vicky, the rest had to be arranged.

I redid last week's wall arrangement by removing the large leaf, which curled up as it dried and added another flower and two juvenile leaves from the gymea lily. This arrangement addresses two lessons - The Shape of the Container and the Colour of the Container.

The next one is a large floor arrangement, in this case under the staircase.

I had to strip away some of the lower part of the leaf as it was too long and was left with some half unfurled pieces with which I created this next small arrangement.

And both dogwoods, cornus capitatum and cornus Norman Hannon are in full bloom as well as the hydrangeas. I have a number of shrubs in different parts of the garden, which produce different coloured flowers. This is due to the different ph levels in the soil. I picked this one to go with the dogwood because of the delicate, pale blue and cream that are picked up by the dogwood.

Variation No. 4 - Hanging style

Bye for now,

Emily

23nd November, 2020

 

Smoke bush and strelitzia reginae flowers in large ceramic container
belonging to Lucy

Hello all,

Nearly 30 years ago, when I started ikebana, I had no garden whatsoever. We had our newly built house on half an acre of land, on which there were only two things growing - an old pear tree and a weeping willow. Can't do much ikebana with that. I would go to lessons and meetings and would be so envious of people with big gardens. Some neighbours and relatives were kind enough to let me have some material but that was never enough. So, I proceeded to plant - with every new plant material I came across, I would ring the nursery, which I had on speed dial, and nine times out of ten, I would find what I wanted. Friends and colleagues also generously contributed to my plant collection

Now, I can say, without wanting to sound boastful, that I have a garden rich with material perfect for ikebana and I haven't forgotten my feelings of envy, so I'm very happy to share my bounty.

This week I'd like to feature my Cotinus coggygria 'Grace' (smoke bush) which has enormously long stems with fluffy green and becoming maroon flowers on the tips. It's a relatively new plant in my garden, only about three years, so I'm still learning how to use it. In the arrangement, above, I used predominately the more mature, maroon flowers with some younger, green ones to the left at the back. It's my 'Birds in the clouds' arrangement.

In the next arrangement, the smoke bush takes a secondary position, leaving the first to the long, rose stem with its prostrate growth. I've been watching this stem of 'Lolita', which had been bent by the strong winds we had recently, trying to decide when to cut it, now, with only three flowers of the cluster open, or wait till later, when the first would have died and new ones open. Well, I'm not known for my patience, so here it is.

The leaves of the smoke bush are also quite beautiful reddish/purple in colour, darkening in summer. In the arrangement, below, they are quite green, which contrast beautifully with the red roses in the white, ceramic container.

The point I was trying to make earlier is that I have quite a number of flowering materials and am struggling to do them justice. I'm compelled to make arrangements with all of them. Yes, I know, I'm addicted to ikebana.

Case in point is the strelitzia plant, which is suddenly full of flowers. I made the arrangement, below with the lesson of 'The shape of the container' as well as the 'colour of the container' in mind, using strelitzias, dietes leaves and bark. I photographed the arrangement with a pale background and with a dark one. I find it fascinating that it makes such a difference to the photograph.

Also, my strelitzia nicolai, the tropical bird of paradise has many flowers but, alas, are too high for me to cut. I used my extendable cutter to get to the lowest one but many flower petals were broken when it fell.

Strelitzia nicolai leaf and flower in wall arrangement

My iris ensata (formerly I. kaempferi) are also in full bloom and I have had much joy in making a number of arrangements. Below is one in two triangular suibans. The leaves of the ensata iris are not very usable as they curve dramatically and are quite thin. I used, instead, leaves from the spuria iris, which are narrower than the flag iris and, therefore, better suited. To complete the arrangement, I used some nandina domestica and flowers from the beefsteak begonia.

Here's another prostrate material, this time a Louisiana iris. The fluffy material is a weed in seed.

Bye for now,

Emily

16th November, 2020

Agave, crucifix orchids and alstroemeria psittacina leaves

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Hello all,

Last Saturday, 11th November, apart from being Remembrance Day, it was also the 20th anniversary of my father's passing. My sisters, mother and I went to the cemetery with flowers and various accoutrements including the wheat dish (koliva) made at memorial services in the Greek tradition. It was a quiet, peaceful time relating favourite stories about dad and his mother, who is buried with him.

As we were leaving, we came across a large clump of agave that had been butchered by vandals. It looked like someone took a machete and hacked at it. Vicky was able to exercise restraint and did not take any pieces. Lucy and I, however, couldn't resist, despite having no gloves and took some home.

I was drawn to the partially dried piece for its colour and shape. At home, I first had to find the right height vase so that it would balance comfortably. I settled on this split vase for its height and colour as well as the two splits that allowed me to wire the agave onto the vase, otherwise, the whole thing would have toppled over. I had intended to use a mass of some floral material in the centre of the agave but, when I looked closely at the interesting pattern that had been created by the drying process, I felt I should make that the focus. So, then, I needed material with thin stems to fit through the tiny opening. Enter crucifix orchids, which provided the line and colour. The alstroemeria psittacina leaves created the mass as well as concealing the wires.

Closeup of wiring of agave to container

Closeup of centre of agave

And, of course, when have you known me to stop at one arrangement? I don't often have the luxury of cutting the heart of the agave because that would stop the growth of the plant. In this case, however, I was just rescuing. I unfurled the soft green inner leaves and exerted some effort to create the arrangement, below. I managed to get a very fragile equilibrium, long enough to photograph, then I took it apart because I know that as the agave dries it shrinks and loses its balance. I had visions of the whole thing coming down. I made two new arrangements with the material.

Here's a little tip. The agave pieces in the arrangement on the left are too soft and weak to hold their weight, so I reinforced them by inserting a dowel as far down as it would go and it worked a treat.

The arrangement on the right could address two different exercises - Glass Containers and Fresh and unconventional material.

These next arrangements were made by Lucy.

Agave and aeonium in ceramic container

Agave and geraniums in ceramic container

My evergreen dogwood (Cornus capitata) or Hazel's dogwood as I call it, has finally flowered. I'm usually careful not to cut big pieces of plants that are slow growing, such as the dogwoods. However, our neighbour at the back cuts anything that even peakes over the fence, so I cut this piece before he did. I made a variation no. 6 horizontal style nageire and, I have to confess, I had to double check the angles. Covid has a lot ot answer for.

Cornus capitata and roses - Queen Elizabeth

   

Wall arrangement - cornus capitata and hippeastrum 

And another material that had to be rescued, not from the neighbour but from possums, was the bunch of tomarilos. I would have liked to have cut them with a stem but I would have had to sacrifice flowers further down the stem, so I didn't. I did the best I could without the benefit of a stem. And, when I no longer need them for ikebana, I can hand them to Sam, who absolutely loves them.

Iceberg roses and tomarilos. They look a lot
like died easter eggs.

I leave you with this cheeky little arrangement of my only two ornithogalums in the container made by brother-in-law, Peter.

Bye for now,

Emily

9th November, 2020

 

Althea, the delightful little fairy at the bottom of my garden with
her ikebana arrangement.

,

Hello all,

With the loosening of restrictions I was able to enjoy the company of precious grandchildren again. Althea is very keen to learn Ikebana and is giving her older sister, Hermione, a run for her money. Can you imagine how happy that makes me?

I enjoyed, so much, spending time with Althea in the back yard, gathering daisies, then making them into a garland for her.

We've had a couple of warm days, causing the Siberian iris to flower all at once. I love their deep purple colour and thin, long stems but they are quite ephemeral, so I had to hurry up and arrange them before they die. Like most other iris, they do have a second flower bud on each stem, which flowers when the first one dies, thus extending their life somewhat. I like to display them against white materials as it is a good foil for the deep purple.

Palm inflorescence, Siberian iris and alstroemeria psittacina leaves
in a self made container

I, also, like to make a 'pond' arrangement this time of year using some iris or other. This time I used the Siberian iris. The suiban is one I made specifically for 'pond' arrangements. I used crushed blue and green glass on the bottom, which melted when fired, to create the look of water.

Willow, Siberian Iris, Japanese maple and
coriander flowers

I was repotting my Fatsia japonica plant and broke one of the leaves. It had such a lovely curve, much like a cantilever umbrella, that I thought of using it as such. 

Rose -Queen Elizabeth and Fatsia Japonica
in self made container

Ah, yep. Still more red hippeastrums with a palm spathe, the inside of which I sprayed gold.

My spuria iris produced very few flowers this year because I had divided them in winter, as they were very crowded. I used a couple in the arrangement, below, with half a Monstera deliciosa leaf.

The first flush of the roses, which is the best for the year was also affected by the warm weather and I had to dead head most of them. There were still a few useable ones.

Mr Lincoln roses, iceberg roses, alstroemeria
psittacina leaves and wisteria vine

The Louisiana iris were quite plentiful this year and, having already arranged them in the traditional way, I thought I'd try using them as a mass of flowers in this wall arrangement. Vicky brought me a very big piece of nandina domestica with flower buds. I had to cut it back severely to use it. 

Bye for now,

Emily

2nd November, 2020

 

Horizontal arrangement. Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica) and Altissimo roses

Hello all,

I had planted some years go the Portugal laurel to screen off our rather large air conditioning units on the southern part of the house. I am greatly indebted to the nurseryman who had suggested this tree for my needs. It has successfully screened the ugly units but it has also done so much more. The glossy dark leaves, which resemble camellias, are quite useful in ikebana. But, even more useful are the inflorescences, which grow above the stems and have a delicate perfume. And, as if that was not enough, they turn into reddish berries in autumn. I understand it is also useful as a hedging plant. Love it!

I cut off a rather large branch at the top of the tree to stop it from getting too tall and, of course, I couldn't throw it away. When I removed the superfluous stems I was left with this bowl shaped piece. I thought it was perfect for my large, fluted glass bowl, which normally sits on the buffet in my bedroom. This bowl is quite heavy and very delicate. It is, also, much prized because it was a gift from my daughter. I couldn't risk carrying it down the stairs, so decided to make the arrangement in the bedroom. Something I don't normally do. I must admit, though, I like the arrangement in the bedroom and will make more in the future.

I went down the street the other day to collect fallen pine needles to put around our strawberry plants and I noticed a whole lot of weeds, which had all gone to seed. With plentiful rain and a lax council, which did not clear the weeds along the road, they were looking very robust and quite beautiful. It reminded me of a lesson we used to do with our teacher, Carlene, of using a variety of grasses. Nostalgia kicked in and I attempted an arrangement. 

I know, from past experience, that grasses shrivel up and dry very quickly after they are cut, even with the use of alcohol, so I dug them up by the roots. This is a good way to preserve them longer but it becomes almost impossible to insert them in a kenzan. I chose this container for its colour and shape but, also, for the size of the opening. I wanted to be able to wedge in my material to make it stand upright.

It's a challenging exercise and I have to wonder if the resulting arrangement was worth the considerable effort. I tried to create interest by using the different textures and shapes of the grasses but, the lack of colour and the loss of depth in the photograph can result in an almost amorphous mass of green.

Unsatisfied as I was, I took it apart and made a couple of smaller arrangements with fewer materials.

Grasses with chive flowers

Grasses with Portugal laurel flowers

Close up of one of the seed heads

Another material that is worth its weight in gold is the snow ball tree (Viburnum opulus). After using it whilst the flowers were green and small, then, later when they were big and snow white, now I find the inflorescences  that remain after the flowers have fallen have a charm all their own. And in autumn the whole tree will colour beautifully. A must have for any ikebanist.

A simple mass and line arrangement. Viburnum 
opulus and squiggly grass, which, I must point out 
leans forward.

 

Close up of inflorescence

Cymbidium orchids, as beautiful as they are, are not easy to use. They have a very rigid stem and shape that can't be manipulated. Arrangements have to be designed around the orchid, where as we normally create a design and add the flower to complete it. I manged to save this one stem from those pesky snails and slugs.

Cymbidium orchid, dietes leaves and black cane

In a suiban without a kenzan. 
Curculigo flowers and leaves.

I leave you with this little arrangement featuring my second peony flower for the year. This is from a herbaceous plant that I've had for years and which flowered parsimoniously! We recently had tradesmen in to install some agi pipes to control excessive water on the north part of the garden. Unbeknownst to me, they dug right through the peony clump and dumped the rhizomes to the side. I don't have the words to describe how I felt. So, when one of those discarded rhizomes flowered, it was almost as though it was trying to placate me.

Bye for now,

Emily