IN A SUIBAN WITHOUT A KENZAN

 

Contorted hazel (corylus avellana contorta), red stemmed dogwood
(cornus siberica alba), variegated New Zealand flax and strelitzia 
reginae flower

Hello all,

At our recent Sogetsu meeting, I led the workshop on the theme 'In a Suiban Without a Kenzan'. This was originally part of the curriculum in Book 4 but, more recently, it is, also, featured in Book 5, where the difficulty is increased. This is probably the most challenging lesson in our curriculum. I added another level of difficulty by asking the members to use mainly fresh, bare branches as well as some other materials. 

In this arrangement the focus is on the water in the container and the stems of materials entering the water, hence the 'no kenzan'.

I had one arrangement set up and demonstrated three others.

Yellow dogwood (Cornus sericea flaviramea) and variegated New Zealand Flax

Corky Elm and Green Goddess lilies in a self made, ceramic suiban

Japanese flowering apricot (prunus mume) and strelitzia reginae

And one week later...

Back to the abundance of my garden. The mahonia was in full bloom and I cut a stem with its citrus yellow flower buds. However, within a couple of days the yellow buds had fallen on the table. So I removed the flower buds and added a strelitzia reginae to the arrangement.

Mary and Cymbie made arrangements on the theme 'With Leaves Only'. In the arrangement, below, Mary used variegated New Zealand flax, arum lily leaves and curculigo leaves in a ceramic container.

Cimbie used curculigo leaves, strelitzia reginae leaves and cathedral begonia leaves in a ceramic container.

Bye for now,

Emily

B