FERNY CREEK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

 

Hello all,

Our recent Ikebana International workshop was held at the Ferny Creek Horticultural Society. First we were given a guided tour by a very knowledgeable Keith Ross and, then, we went indoors for lunch and a demonstration by Lucy Papas. The theme was a 'Floor Arrangement'. 

The arrangement, above, was created by Lucy before the demonstration. On a metal stand, she attached a large piece of bark and used it as a container. She added fan palms, white lilacs and kiwi vine.

The arrangement, below, was made in a tall, glass vase. Lucy used two very tall, gymea leaves and two strelitzias reginae.

In another large, wide container, made by Graham Wilke, Lucy used a heavy stick, aspidistra leaves and arum lilies, in an arrangement designed to be viewed from above.

For her fourth arrangement Lucy created an arrangement for a corner. She used gingko biloba and red dogwood (cornus siberica alba) branches and rhododendron flowers in a ceramic container. 

For my arrangement, I used a structure that I had created in the past. It was made using tortuous willow, from which I had stripped away the bark, leaving a smooth finish. I then joined a number of pieces to create a kind of cradle, into which I could place the tsubo vase. I used some of my clivias and alstroemeria psittacina leaves for mass, then added the yellow strelitzias reginae (strelitzia Mandela's gold). 

Jenny used a piece of contorted hazel (corylus avellana contorta), arum lilies and leucadendrons in a ceramic container.

Back home, I've been anxiously watching the progress of my newly acquired peony plant. During my absence it had developed not one but two buds! When the first one finally unfurled completely, it took my breathe away. It required a very simple arrangement, so I selected the trough type container and, looking around the studio, I noticed the kiwi vine which I had used many weeks before and which I had sprayed black, had produced leaves. So, I put the two together.

Sadly, it only lasted four days. Despite its ephemeral nature, I felt it was worth the cost and the effort to produce such a flower. I tell you, it was the size of an entre plate!

When it died, I replaced it with clematis flowers, which are only a little bit less spectacular than the peony.

Our regular class was much reduced in number mainly due to people travelling. I had set the theme of 'A Spring Arrangement', wanting to take advantage of all the gorgeous materials available.

Jenny used an azalea branch in bud for her main stem and a white waratah and an orange haemanthus lily (scadoxus multiflorus)

Nicole used cottage gladioli, rhododendron and dendrobium orchids in a ceramic container.

Cymbie's main branch was white lilac (Syringa x hyacinthiflora), to which she added Queen Ann's lace and a snapdragon peeking from the back.

Mary's arrangement comprised red dogwood (cornus siberica alba), clematis and purple lisianthus.

Bye for now,

Emily