26th September, 2022

Hello all,

Last week I visited my elderly uncle and untie, bringing them some dinner, when I noticed their cherry tree and magnolia tree in full bloom beckoning to me. They readily allowed me to cut some branches from both but I was careful to only cut a small amount from each. I checked with google for the name of the magnolia and, I think, it is Magnolia Soulangeana Rustica Rubra. Whatever the name it is quite delightful and the flowers have lasted for four days, which is unusual for a magnolia.

Their cherry tree actually produces fruit and is not just ornamental, however, the fruit are only enjoyed by the birds. I arranged the branch in a basket and added bright red rhododendron and camellia flowers. I see it as a very happy, spring arrangement.

For class last week I decided to take the advanced students, including myself, back to basics and set them the exercise Variation No. 8 from Book 2. In this exercise two basic arrangements are made and then placed together to create one. I asked them to make one nageire and one moribana. I made a Variation no. 4 slanting style, moribana, reversed, using diosma and arum lilies. And a Basic upright, nageire using wax flower and arum lilies.

Jenny Made a variation No.1 Upright style, moribana using the pink colored Toona Sinensis and red roses. The other arrangement is Variation no. 4 horizontal style, nageire reversed, which is made up of a beautiful but, rather, foul smelling pear blossom branch and red roses.

Nicole used pussy willow and alstroemeria in Variation No. 4 upright style, nageire and Variation No. 4 slanting style, moribana, using an Australian native branch, the name of which I don't know. The alstroemeria is a connecting element in the arrangements.

Lucy used some large branches of Photinia x fraseri and green goddess lilies in both arrangements. One of them is Variation no. 3 slanting style nageire and the other, Variation No. 4 slanting style, moribana, reversed.

Vicky, also, used the same materials in both arrangements. Variation No 3 Slanting style nageire and Variation No 6 slanting style, moribana. Her materials were Mexican orange (Choisya ternata) and oriental lilies.

Mary and Shanen happen to have the same curriculum theme. The challenging exercise of 'Using a Variety of Materials'.

Shaneen used seven different materials but was able to prevent her arrangement from looking western by grouping her materials and allowing some space in the middle with some stems showing. She, also, left part of the lip of the container free of materials.

Mary used 5 materials and she, too, grouped them and created asymmetry with the tall elm branch. The space around the Ikenobo style container is, also, very important.

Wendy's class theme was 'Lines at the Base'. She used yellow broom and Dutch iris, with the clean lines of the stems coming out of the centre of the container. She chose the materials because the yellow of the iris picked up the yellow of the broom.

Lei's curriculum theme was 'Disassembling and Rearranging the Material'. She cut the stems of the sunflowers into small pieces and threaded a thick but malleable wire through them and, then, bent the wire with the stems into the shapes in the photo, below. The position of the sunflowers is most pleasing in this, rather quirky vase, which has a slight lean to one side.

Bye for now,

Emily