Gloriosa lilies

 

Hello all,

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? When it comes to an overabundance of gorgeous flowers like the gloriosa lilies, I say 'no'! The photograph, below, is of some of my pots growing against a northerly facing, brick wall, which seems to be ideal for these tropical plants. I keep trying to come up with different ways to use them, which is a challenge but challenges are good and keep our work fresh.

In the arrangement at the top of this page I used stems that grew sweeping downwards and slightly forward. With their strong colour, I wanted the lilies to be the focal point so I picked these pale green hydrangeas with their more neutral colour as accompanying material.

The photograph, below, is of a wall arrangement in a metal container. I used gloriosas again but this time with branches of Portugal laurel, from which I removed the leaves and left only the berries. I love the way the colour of these berries ranges from pale green to yellow, red and almost black. Eventually they will all be almost black.

Two weeks ago I posted the photograph on the left of my arrangement using cycad fronds and Arum Italicum Pictum berries. While the berries have died, the cycads are still as fresh as when I first arranged them. So, I just replaced the berries with, yes, you guessed it, gloriosa lilies.

I feel it's necessary to include a side view of the arrangement to get an idea of the depth.

Last Monday the first meeting of our Sogetsu group was held. The workshop was run by Aileen Duke and the theme she selected was a 'Double Shin Arrangement'. I have seen photographs of this arrangement my Norman Sparnon but, as it is not in the Sogetsu curriculum, I have not had the chance to do it. 

Our director, Christopher James has posted a detailed explanation of the theme and of our workshop together with photographs. Therefore, to save me writing it all again, I refer you to his blog RoadsideIkebana

Very briefly, the double shin arrangement, as I now understand it, is to be made using one kenzan in a suiban with two shins and a narrow space between them.

 It was decided that my arrangement at the workshop was not quite correct and that it was closer to  a ka-bu-wa-ke than a Double Shin.

I took the correction on board and, when I came home, I removed some of the materials, brought the kenzans closer together (with the containers I had selected, I could not use one kenzan) and generally simplified the arrangement. I concede, this is a better attempt at the theme.

Mary's curriculum theme was 'Paying attention to the container and the place where the arrangement is to be put'. I had selected this pedestal in a corner with a silk fabric screen to one side. Mary used a  rhododendron stem with strong, green leaves that contrasted with the dark colour of the screen. The mauve dahlias were subordinate to the rhododendron leaves. The stripes on her ceramic container picked up the colour of the pedestal.

Bye for now,

Emily