5TH OCTOBER, 2026

 

Hello all,

For the arrangement, above, I used an oval, glass piece, which has two small holes in it. It was the base of a flat screen TV. I placed a plastic container underneath to hold water for the materials - agave and leek flower.

Variegated NZ flax and strelitzia reginae are the materials in the arrangement, below.

In the next arrangement I used a container with a small opening, so I chose materials with thin stems like the crucifix orchids and the taro leaves. I also used small, sunflower seed heads.

The stainless steel container in the next arrangement was given to me by a former student, Margaret Wilson. I think of her and her generosity every time I use it. The materials are a gymea lily leaf, crucifix orchids and leafless wattle (acacia aphylla).

A spring arrangement evokes a sense of joyful renewal and awakening of nature after winter. The materials are white lilac and pink rhododendron and are much prized because both plants were given to us by my parents.

For the next arrangement I had bent the Louisiana iris plant whilst growing in its pot so that the flowers would grow facing upwards. I, then, was able to place the stem horizontally in the container. I also used some unknown, grass seed heads.

In the wall arrangement, below, I used dried palm frond and agapanthus.

Many years ago I developed a technique to join umbrella grass stems, vertically to create surfaces. I can, then, bend them to make sculptural pieces. In the arrangement, below, I added the strelitzia reginae in the space created by the structure.

When I made the arrangement, below, I, obviously, had an abundance of green goddess lilies to have been able to select 10 flowers of similar size. I'm sure you all know by now my love of geometry, hence the design. 

This next arrangement is very ME. The strong forms of the gymea leaves and the strelitzias, both of which I grew, contrasted with the softness of the wisteria lines. That appeals to me, strongly. Add to that the fact that I made the container and it becomes very personal.

Bye for now,

Emily

28TH SEPTEMBER, 26

 

Hello all,

The arrangement, above, features two of my favourite materials - dogwood (cornus Norman Haddon) and hydrangeas.

In the one, below, it was the shape of the oak branch that dictated the container and the style. It is a Variation no 4 hanging style. The flowers are dahlias.

The next arrangement is a more elaborate one and took a long time to make. I created bamboo triangles using bamboo that was sprayed white and the smaller ones sprayed gold. I, then, joined the triangles to create the shapes and added the roses to complete the arrangement.

I love agave. It's such a strong, sculptural material. I used it in the arrangement, below, which fits the theme 'Using One Kind of Material'.

Another much loved material is the iris ensata or Japanese iris. I usually arrange it in the traditional, naturalistic style but in the arrangement, below, I used it in a more contemporary style with equisetum. 

The next, contemporary arrangement was made using strelitzia nicolai flowers after the white petals have died and been removed, leaving the very sculptural parts.

The next arrangement is quite simple, using arum lilies in bud and clivia flowers in a ceramic container with two openings. The only challenge was to secure the heavy lilies without them resting on the container opening.

The next arrangement is on the theme 'A Composition Expressing a Movement'. I'm hoping the movement of 'Flying' is recognizable. The materials are - a giant philodendron leaf, severely trimmed and crucifix orchids.

Bamboo is a very versatile material and I love using it and I'm always looking for different ways to use it. Below is one way. The arrangement is in a treasured container as it used to belong to my friend Gwen Delves.

I found the branches in the arrangement, bellow, on the side of the road and I don't know from which tree they came. The flowers are peones.

Bye for now,

Emily

21ST SEPTEMBER, 2026

 

Hello all,

My arrangement, above, requires no explanation. The materials are agave and strelitzia reginae.

The one below is an example of the theme 'With Leaves Only'. The green leaf is a Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium australasicum) and the two dried leaves are aspidistras.

In the next arrangement the palm inflorescence was sprayed silver and placed over a tall, ceramic vase. The proteas were placed through and above the inflorescence.

The autumn colours in the next arrangement appeal to me greatly. The materials are - viburnum opulus branches, mahonia flowers and aeoniums. 

The next, rather simple arrangement, was made in a container with two openings but only the front one was used. The materials are half a monstera deliciosa leaf, arum lilies and umbrella grass stems (cyperus alternifolius).

The arum lilies in the next arrangement were curved by me when they were buds and still malleable. I bent the buds and placed a fork over them to keep them down. As they grew they formed curves. The container is a self made one and the added sprig is a stachyurus.

My black and white arrangement, below, is made with a dried, magnolia branch branch that has been sprayed white, camellias and Portuguese laurel berries.

I'm very fond of geometry and graphic designs, so I enjoyed playing with arum and green goddess lilies.

The next arrangement is an example of 'Paying Attention to the Colour of the Container'. The materials are green goddess lilies and stachiurus. It is based on Variation no.4 Hanging style.

The sculptural arrangement, below, was made with the use of thick wire, attached to boards. Then, a stocking was pulled over each of them. The amaranthus was the fresh material.

Bye for now,

Emily

14TH SEPTEMBER, 2026

 

Hello all,

The celebratory arrangement, above, was made using dry branches, one coloured black and the other white. The fresh materials were disbud chrysanthemums and cotoneaster berries.

The stems in the glass arrangement, below, are acanthus, as is the small leaf. The flowers a crucifix orchids.

The autumnal coloured material in the next arrangement is a strawberry stem with hydrangeas at the back.

Agaves feature often in my ikebana and below is another example. The container is a tall and heavy one, necessary to support the heavy agaves as well as the pomegranates.

I, also, used agave in the next arrangement but this time it is much smaller and secondary to the container. The magnolia flower is partially hidden, again, to allow the container to shine.

I look at this next arrangement with sadness because my garrya elliptica tree has since died, thanks to some careless plumbers.

I had to wire the jonquil leaves in the next arrangement, so that I could shape them this way. The arum lily finished the piece.

The arum lilies in the arrangement, below, have been manipulated by me when they were buds to create these curves. At the mouth of the container I placed arum leaves.

I have a large patch of monstera deliciosa plants, so I can afford to cut some even before they unfurl. I love the ceramic container but I avoid using it too often because it is a little unstable.

My sister, Lucy, had gifted me the aluminium, art piece, below. Here I used it as a container on the wall. I used a camellia and Portuguese laurel berries. 

Bye for now,

Emily

7TH SEPTEMBER, 2026

 

Hello all,

Continuing with photos from the archives. The container in the arrangement, above, is one I made many years ago and have used it here with tarnished, copper pipes and blue iris.

The arrangement, below, requires no explanation except that I love the Kamo Hon Ami camellia  and use it as often as I can.

I used a giant philodendron leaf, from which I removed all but one section and placed it in a donut shaped container. The mass of nandina domestica nana adds colour.

I remember making the arrangement, below, as I was trying to find a different way to use aspidistra leaves. I had cut an asymmetric V shape at the top of the leaves and placed them in a row with the taller ones at the front, graduating to the shortest at the back. The berries are from nandina domestica.

The wall arrangement, below, has a winter theme. The bare branches are magnolia soulangiana and the rest are camellias and cotoneaster berries.

The small arrangement, below, is made with beefsteak begonia leaves and a rose in a lopsided vase.

I used jonquil leaves and flowers in the next arrangement. The leaves have been wired and twisted to give a windswept look.

I used floating, cotoneaster berries inside the glass decanter as well as a stem with berries at the tip. The black material is a thick wire.

I made the vase in the next arrangement in the early days of my ikebana journey, when I was quite inexperienced. I have since learnt that the less pattern on a container, the more useable it is. However, I do like it and use it, almost exclusively, with dry, ZN flax flowers.

Bye for now,

Emily

31ST AUGUST, 2026

Photo by Nick Dale

Hello all,

I wanted to let you know that for the next, several weeks I will not be creating much ikebana but I will be sharing photos with you from my archives.

The arrangement, above, requires no explanation apart from naming the materials. They are pine (pinus radiata), two different coloured hydrangeas and pomegranates.

In the arrangement, below, the dry branch is book leaf pine (Thuja orientalis) The flowers are cymbidium orchids and the lleaves are dietes.

Next is a 'Double Shin' arrangement made with two, small gymea leaves, leafless wattle (acacia aphylla) and banksias.

The next is an arrangement using two containers. The materials are agapanthus, NZ flax and mahonia flowers. The containers are stainless steel.

The wall arrangement, below, is made using a conifer (perhaps cypress) and a mass of chrysanthemums. Much of the conifer has been trimmed to reveal the curves of the branches.

Emphasizing the container was the aim for the next arrangement. The materials are mollis azalea branch, hydrangea and pomegranates.

The next arrangement is made using two, mahonia leaves, one going upwards and one down. The flowers are nerines and the vine is kiwi.

I'm not particularly fond of the ruffled fishbone fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia) but, as an exercise, I challenged myself to find a way to use it. Below are two arrangements with the fern stripped of more than half of its leaves and allowed the lines of the stems and the elevation to be the main focus. In the first I added crucifix orchids for the floral focus...

..... and in the second, a wall arrangement, I used hydrangeas. 

I think the branch, below, is a diosma. The flower, of course, is strelitzia reginae.

Bye for now,

Emily