Masterclass no. 7

Hello all,

Today we had the last Masterclass for the year. This time the challenge was using difficult containers. I chose containers that I have found most difficult to use in the past and materials to be used with each, that I would not, ordinarily, have put with the particular container. As always, the selection was by lottery.

The arrangement, above, was done by Christine Denmead. I particularly liked her use of the monstera deliciosa leaf used behind the container and showing its underside. This added volume to the back whilst allowing the large container (60 cm high) to dominate. The New Zealand flax curved forward, and added volume to the front and created space. The two strelitzias reginae added the accent of colour.

Christopher James was required to use both of these heavy, ceramic containers. The difficulty was with mechanics. Using a kenzan to hold up the heavy, mahonia branch was not an option, so Christopher had to work out another way to achieve that. He managed it very well. Then, having placed a single leaf and a small piece of crocosmia in the hole of the second container, he changed the look of the main branch by catching the leaves together at the top to give a more contemporary look to the whole arrangement.

Vicky Kalokathis was delighted with the large branch of evergreen dogwood (Cornus Norman Hadden) but it soon became apparent that it was not as easy as it originally appeared. After trying different ways of using it, Vicky cut branches away and re-arranged them to create some interest. The pink hydrangeas picked up the pink blush on some of the dogwood flowers, which turn this colour as they age.

Jenny's heavy ceramic container by Graeme Wilkie has a very small opening. Because of this, I provided her with materials with thin stems. Jenny struggled quite a bit to place her main stem of Siberian dogwood in just the right position, coming from the back diagonally towards the front. Placing the alstroemeria psittacina flowers high, amongst the leaves of the dogwood, accentuated and strengthened the lines of the stems, creating a more dynamic look.

Akemi Suzuki had one of my favourite containers which, with its multiple holes, could easily be mistaken for an easy one to use. I'm here to tell you it's not! Because there is no access to the inside due to the tiny, bottle opening at the top, I have spent many hours working out ways to secure materials inside. Akemi came up with a method I had not used before. She placed the main branch through one hole into the container, ensuring that it would be in water, then wired from the outside the offcuts from the main branch, securing everything in place and creating a design. She, very wisely, used only one of the hydrangeas that I had provided to finish the arrangement.

Lucy Papas arrived quite late but she had a good excuse. She was awaiting the results of a Covid test before joining us. We were very pleased to see her because we wanted her to join us but most importantly because she got a negative result. She very quickly put together this arrangement, having removed masses of leaves from the wisteria vines and curving them inside this very large, glass container. Because the vines were so thin, leaving the leaves at the top was most important for interest and balance. She placed one agapanthus flower about two thirds of the way up the container and intended to fill it with water up to the level of the flower. We never got around to doing that.

I have tried a little experiment in this blog. Very often students, who would have seen some arrangement of mine on the blog and then see it in real life, have been surprised at how different they look. They always find the photographs wanting. Today Lucy suggested I make the photos much larger. I've done this but I'm concerned at how readers will be able to view them in small devices. So, here's where you come in. I would really appreciate it if you could let me know, preferably via email (emilykara@optusnet.com.au), if you have difficulty fitting the photos in your screens.

Bye for now,

Emily