REUSING MATERIALS

Japanese flowering quince and camellias. A match made in heaven!

 Hello all,

The arrangement, above, evokes bitter sweet feelings in me. The camellias and Japanese flowering quince were cut from a garden that belonged to a very dear aunt and uncle, both of whom passed away recently. Every time I visited them in winter I would cut branches from their garden because their plants always flowered much earlier than mine. Alas, this year will be the last because the house is about to be sold.

In this post I'm featuring only my own works, usually done for my own pleasure and not as part of any classes or workshops. Also, the next four arrangements were made with materials that I had used before.

The first arrangement was one that I had set up for a corporate function some time ago. When the flowers and other, fresh materials had died, I was left with the skeleton made with magnolia branches. At the time it took some effort to create this structure and I really liked the design and movement, so I wanted to use it again....

....so, here it is again with all new, fresh materials. I used NZ flax, nandina domestica nana, strelitzias reginae, umbrella grass and monstera deliciosa leaves.

All three of the materials in the next arrangement had been used previously. They are all long lasting so I was able to put them together in a completely different way. They are monstera deliciosa leaves, cut into triangles, nandina domestica nana and nandina domestica berries. The container is one that belonged to Hazel, an ikebana friend who passed away a very long time ago. Her nephew-in-law contacted me last year, offering some of Hazel's and his wife's containers to me and my students.

I used the big branch, below, of contorted hazel (corylus avellana contarta) in my demonstration of 'In a Suiban without a Kenzan' some weeks ago. Then, recently, I was given a very fragrant bunch of jonquils, which were ideal for making a mass. So, the two came together. I did, however, have to work out the mechanics of balancing the branch in position.

The next three arrangements were made with the same piece of twisted wisteria.

Second use, wisteria sprayed
black

First use of wisteria in natural form

Third and final use - I threw it out after this.

When I gave my hydrangeas their winter pruning, I had a few flowers in soft, autumn colours, crying out be used.

The next arrangement was made in the middle of winter, yet it gives the feeling of spring. It is made with a camellia and a prunus mume stem.

Bye for now,

Emily