Hello all,

At our last class I had set the theme of 'Fruiting Plant Materials' for the senior students. In my arrangement, above, I used cumquats, cotoneaster berries and hydrangeas.

And, since my pomegranates were ready to pick, I couldn't resist making some more arrangements. Fruiting branches lend themselves mostly to naturalistic arrangements but I wanted to challenge myself to make a more modern one, below. I removed all the leaves from the pomegranate branches and placed them in this quirky, footed container. I had to place some metal weights into the container to counter the heavy fruit. I, also, employed some serious mechanics to ensure that the branches did not rest on the edge of the container. The small mass at the opening is made up of cathedral begonia leaves.

In the next arrangement I used a creeper that I was not able to identify and cathedral begonia leaves with the pomegranates.

Vicky used three, newly acquired, metal vases, into two of which she placed fig branches. She brought along dahlias but chose not to add them to the arrangement and I agreed with her.

Nicole used mainly branches of cotoneaster, the berries of which were not quite ripe, hence the orange colour instead of red. The colour, however, was ideal to go with her Paul Davis vase as well as the nandina domestica nana.

Cymbie used kefir lime branches, from which she, painstakingly, removed all but a few of the leaves. She chose a double container but used only one side. The dahlias added the floral focus and colour.

Mary, also, chose kefir lime branches in a nageire container. Her floral focus were the white lisianthus.

Dianne's class theme was 'Arrangements for Special Occasions'. She chose to depict the winter solstice as she has a friend who has a birthday around that time. Her materials were - a bare but still fresh branch, nandina domestica nana and hydrangeas. She used a heavy, ceramic container with a split down the middle.

Wendy's class theme was 'Relief Works'. Her aim was to depict fire works, having painted her board blue and her dried agapanthus in shades of yellow, orange and red, representing the exploding fire works.

And, again, I leave you with a camellia arrangement.

Bye for now,

Emily