2ND MARCH 2026

Hello all,

The container in the arrangement, above, is new and is one of a number of containers that my sister, Vicky, picked up from an Op shop. She did not attend the most recent Masterclass but was out shopping instead. She called me during the class and offered to pick up containers for whoever wanted one. We were very grateful as the containers were interesting and well priced.

I was removing the dead and dying leaves from my strelitzia reginae the other day but couldn't bring myself to throw out some of the partially dried leaves. I used a couple in the above arrangement with dahlias and another two in the vertical arrangement, below, this time with leucadendrons.  

The arrangement, below, almost made itself. The crucifix orchid broke off from the parent plant and fell and, looking around for something else, also with a curve, I picked the hydrangea. Back in the studio, running my eye over the shelves, this container seemed an obvious choice.

For our first regular class of the year I wanted to get us all back to basics, so I set Variation no. 8 as the class theme for the advanced students. In this arrangement we create one moribana and one nageire arrangement, then place them together.

Below is my variation No. 8. I used viburnum opulus branches and hydrangeas. The nageire was Variation no. 4 slanting style and the moribana was the basic upright style, reversed.

Jenny made a variation no. 4 slanting style nageire, using a prunus branch and Asiatic lily. The moribana arrangements was variation no. 2 slanting style, using Japanese maple and roses.

Cymbie used oleander branches in both arrangements. The nageire was variation No. 4 slanting style with an Oriental lily for hikae and the moribana was variation no. 2 slanting style, with dahlias as hikae.

Vicky used quince branches and dahlias for both arrangements. The nageire was variation no. 4 and the moribana was basic upright.

Lucy is particularly fond of the golden elm (Ulmus glabra 'Lutescens') in my back yard and uses it at every opportunity. In this case she made a basic upright nageire and variation no. 1, slanting style moribana. In both arrangements she used Asiatic lilies for the hikae.

 Wendy's class theme was tsuribana, which is an arrangement in a container hanging from the ceiling. She used a basket because of its lightness and added gerberas at the front and back as well as crocosmia and squiggly grass.

I provided Mary with some rather strong loquat branches, which she used to make a freestyle arrangement, loosely based on variation no. 4, slanting style. She used 3 apricot coloured gerberas for hikae and jushi.

Bye for now,

Emily