26TH OCTOBER, 2026

Hello all,

For Wednesday's class I set the theme 'A spring arrangement'. This is not the same as the theme 'Seasonal Materials'. I instructed the students to create an arrangement with a spring feel.

In the arrangement, above, I used apple blossom branches, clematis and statice in a tall, glass vase and a low, ceramic container. 

Jenny used a tall stem of viburnum opulus and spuria iris in an oval shaped, ceramic container.

Lucy has always been partial to golden elm branches and uses it at every opportunity. At this time of year the new leaves are a very appealing, lime colour. Lucy used ornithogalum flowers and Altissimo roses.

Lei was keen to use the basket she recently bought from an op shop. She had a strong mulberry branch around and over the basket and added ornamental grape vines and a flowering branch which could be an ornamental cherry.

Vicky brought masses of viburnum opulus branches and made another huge arrangement. She used a very tall and heavy, glass vase, necessary to hold the volume and weight of the branches. She also added two very big strelitzias reginae to complete the arrangement.

Nicole placed flowering, hawthorn branches and a late flowering rhododendron in a ceramic, rectangular container.

Last week I posted the photograph, below, of my lilac branch and a rhododendron stem. Once the flowers on both stems died I intended to throw them all out. However, the lilac branch was quite lovely once the dead flowers were removed...

 .....so I decided to use it in another arrangement, below, this time with strelitzias in a contemporary style container. 

I leave you with a couple of cheeky ornithogalum flowers, which I manipulated to create these curves and placed in a slate container made by my very clever brother-in-law, Peter. The leaves are some sort of pinellia. 

Bye for now,

Emily

MASTERCLASS #35

 

Hello all,

For Saturday's Masterclass I had provided each of the students with two different types of branch materials and a small number of flowers. My instructions to them were to concentrate on arranging the branches harmoniously and then consider how to place the flowers. This is inspired by the lesson 'Using Branch Materials Only'.

As always, I give myself the same challenge. At the end of the class some small amount of materials were left over, which I used to create the arrangement, above. My materials were Japanese maple, cashmere cypress and aloe maculata flowers, all in a metal container.

The arrangement, below, was done by Lei. Her materials were Japanese maple, viburnum opulus and strelitzias reginae in a ceramic vase.

Swann opted for an almost horizontal arrangement using Japanese maple, Siberian dogwood and aloe maculata flowers in a ceramic, curved container.

Akemi trimmed off a considerable amount of her branch materials - callistemon and cashmere cypress. She took advantage of their cascading form and placed them in a tall, ceramic container, somewhat intertwined. The green Goddess lilies were following the same direction, only shorter.

Jenny, quite understandably, was reluctant to trim too much from her branch materials but, after some discussion in the class, she agreed that it was important to show the split of the container and removed the unnecessary materials. Her materials were viburnum opulus, callistemon and green Goddess lilies in a ceramic vase.

Lucy's olive branch was particularly challenging because the leaves have a frustrating habit of facing all directions. She paired it with crab apple branches in flower, in a ceramic, triangular container, then added the clivias for colour.

Those of us using cashmere cypress chose tall containers to best display its cascading form. Vicky used a tall, metal vase and, she too, trimmed a great deal of the cypress and callistemon branches before placing them in the vase, then added the arum lilies in a mass.

And now some arrangements I made purely for my own pleasure. The wall arrangement, below comprised clematis, clivias and nandina domestica seed heads.

This next number is in an extra tall, glass vase. The materials were viburnum opulus (probably too many), rhododendrons and weeping willow.

It is with great pleasure that I share this next photo. I was tickled pink when I saw that my peony had three flower buds. This one is the first to open. I used a loquat branch with it and made an arrangement loosely based on variation no. 4.

Bye for now,

Emily

12TH OCTOBER, 2026

 

Hello all,

The arrangement, above, fits the themes 'Colour of the Container' and 'Shape of the Containr' and the materials are Siberian dogwood (Cornus Siberica Alba) and Asiatic lilies.

The following arrangement fits the theme 'Using One Kind of Material' and that material is strelittzia nicolai.

The large arrangement, below, comprised a palm spathe, strelitzias reginae and kiwi vine sprayed gold in a donut shaped container.

The single stem of pelargonium, after removing subordinate stems, had enough interest in its shape to stand alone. It, also, fits the theme 'One Kind of Material'. The challenge was to secure it in the low, ceramic container which has a small hole, preventing much access to the inside. To be honest, I can't remember how I did it.

A very simple arrangement, below, using an agapanthus inflorescence and crucifix orchid.

And yet another agave arrangement. Don't judge me! The delicate crucifix orchid is a contrast to the strength of the agave.

I made the next arrangement at an Ikebana International workshop, the theme for which was 'Kimono'. I used cane, sprayed black, hydrangeas and Portuguese Laurel berries.

I'm not sure what the dried branch in the wall arrangement, below, is as I found it by the side of the road. The other materials are dahlias and amaranthus.

Yet another example of 'Using One Kind of Material'. This time it's a bromeliad in a glass container.

A large arrangement, below, using wisteria and hydrangeas.

Bye for now,

Emily

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