It’s a raining and cloudy Father’s Day! I stayed at home preparing for up coming class lessons. At the same time, I used a lot of feverfew tiny flowers that I picked from my garden to make an arrangement “Mass, Line and Color”, in the basket. (6/15/2025)
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| With cornflower and horse tail |
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| With lily and Iris leaves |
I just realized what a busy schedule I have in June! Besides doctor’s appointments and class lessons. I also attended I.I. Philadelphia Chapter #71’s event for 60th anniversary celebration luncheon, and went to Brandywine Museum of art to check the site, which MainLine branch will be holding an annual exhibition in the last week of this month. I have no mood to do Ikebana during this time period! But it’s time to post my orchids, they are blooming all around from April to June now. Five are Oncidium orchids, only one is Cattleya (Apple Blossom). Some faded and some are still going strong.
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| Oncidium (Sherry Baby, smell like chocolate) 6/12/2026 |
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| Oncidium (Pacific Panache) 5/18/2025 |
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| Oncidium 5/18/2925 |
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| Oncidium (Issaku Nagata)5/9/2025 |
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| 5/5/2025 |
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| 5/5/2025 |
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| Cattlaye (Apple Blossom) 5/5//2025 |
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| 4/24/2025 |
Summer is coming! Spring flowers are almost gone. I would like to make a couple of arrangements using irises before they disappeared from my garden.
Materials: Japanese irises, Solomon seal and tiny wild flower / bamboo baskets
Here is my last peony arrangement! A small simple piece of ikebana with no particular subject.
Materials: peony, zinnia, ninebark, and small wild white flowers / ceramic
People have named peonies “the king of flowers”. It is a symbol of happiness, prosperity and spring. There’s a Chinese saying: “ Good flowers don’t bloom forever, good times don’t last forever”.
As I have always mentioned I like to use seasonal flowers for my arrangement if possible. Now, I would love the peonies with different colors in my arrangement and I wanted it to be a gorgeous (華麗) one! During our critique, I asked Sensei if it’s there are too many flowers? But she said: It’s spring! You did a good job, it’s pretty! Indeed, that’s what I meant. 春天就是要華麗的插花! (5/19/2025)
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| Horizontal style using cross bar fixture 5/19/2025 |
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| Besides peonies, there were mountain laurels |
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| Back side view, 5/19/2025 in class |
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| Hata Sensei’s Demo, basic style using cross bar fixture |
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| 5/18/2025, tried at home |
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| cross bar fixture (Jumonji- dome) |
I had no class for almost two months since March. For those days I was practicing Ikebana for my own pleasure without any subjects or Sensei’s guidance. My arrangement was the lilac (Mrs. Kim) which was in full bloom in my garden, and a porcelain vase which has a unique opening. I thought they were nice together.
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| 5/17/2025 |
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| 5/16/2025, without the lilac leaves |
The month of April and May, our garden is very colorful and pretty! But the beauty is always short lived! I am the person who likes using seasonal materials, and when a sudden good ideas comes, I like to pick whatever is available in the garden to make an ikebana.
My second tree Peony had only two buds this year, and when one of them bloomed, I picked it right away. I wanted it to be a focal point for the arrangement that I had in mind. It was a freestyle using crepe myrtle, bare branch, alstroemeria and St. John’s wort, both are from the bouquet. (5/13/2025)
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| Close up view of peony and ceramic vase |
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| The second bud opened on 5/19/2025 |
I had a nearly perfect Mother’s Day! My older daughter and granddaughter came home a day early with a beautiful bouquet, helped me trim the overgrown bushes, and treated us to a Japanese dinner at nearby restaurant to end a meaningful day. My younger daughter even surprised me to just suddenly show up in front of me, during our walk in the park! I was jumping with joy!! She told me that she was not able to come home but was going to have sushi lunch delivered. Five of us, three mothers were having a great, wonderful day!
I made an arrangement using some of flowers from bouquet, there were roses, snapdragon and hydrangea. To complete the composition I just added flowering branches. I think it is beautiful for Mother’s Day arrangement! (5/11/2025)
I would like to make an arrangement using this bearded Iris which is in bloom right now in my garden. Sometimes if I didn’t cut the flower materials in time to make an arrangement, they would be gone before you knew it! (5/8/2025)
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| I made this basket long time ago |
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| Changed iris to tree Peony (5/10/2025) |
