My daughter's wedding flowers

Bigger flower arrangement at a big window where seating cards were displayed. (July 3rd was my daughter's big day)

Reception room corner table and lady's room arrangement.

Bridal bouquet: Cattleya, Peony, ranunculus, dendrobium and sweet pea. It's so lovely!

The hand made wooden cake toppers were a gift from an artist friend. Cattleya and dendrobium orchids were simply decorated on cake.
Right side: A small ikebana arrangement from my daughter's bridal bouquet. 7/5/2011

Bridesmaids and flower girl (my two granddaughters) bouquets.

Table center piece
Phalaenopsis and different succulents. Guests could take them home. (7/3/2011)

orchids in June - Phalaenopsis and two others

I wish this Cattleya could add into my daughter's bridle bouquet.
Below-Brassia, "Orange Delight". I got it from last year's potting party, It bloomed for the first time.

All other kinds of orchids have faded away, only Phal. remain blooming this time of year. They don't stay blooming as long as usual in the summer time.

This yellow one is fragrant.

These flowers are miniature.

These bloom every year!

Hosta And Lily Arrangement

These Hosta, Lily and Tulip were left over materials, free to take home from last Tuesday class.
I used the materials to work on three different style arrangement at home without my teacher's assignment. Any comment?(6/10/2011)

Free Style - Big Arrangement

Final composition in June 7th class.
I am lucky that I can use my last peony( end of the season) for this project. After my teacher's suggestion, I added some zebra grass to give some height and soften the whole arrangement. All my classmates said it's beautiful. I was so happy and said congratulations to myself because I've also finished four text books already.

These two pictures are the first(5/5/11) and second(5/17/11) stages of arrangement in May's two classes.
This particular wood I found in my wooded area was three feet tall, it broke into two pieces. I thought it's perfect for my teacher's assignment. I stocked vines into the decayed holes, then added and changed the pine, bulrush and rhododendron over three classes.( 6/8/2011)

Free Style - Go Green Design

A new trend of the Sogetsu school is to use mostly green color in an arrangement. Most of the materials I used here were of different textures and shapes of green color, such as moss, bulrush, Butterfly Maple, Yew and a young Hydrangea flower. They were all picked from my garden and field. I even used a piece of drift wood as a container. (Below is close up view) 6/7/2011

Orchids in May

I wish this medium sized white Catelleyas could last until for my daughter's wedding (less then 5 weeks away). She always wants her bridal bouquet to have this kind of orchid, just like mine (which was from my father's orchid collection). I might have to look for it somewhere else to fulfill her wish. Usually there are not many blooming Cats in the summer time.

Zygonisla Cynosure " Blue Birds"
Three years ago this was a young plant, it's the second time it's bloomed now. I can't believe how easy it is!

Left-Huge, 7 inches flower on big plants. Fragrant
Right- Encyclia "Green Hornet" Buds are produced one after another, it's still going strong.

Left- I divided it into two plants last summer, both were blooming through April to early May.
Right- This is the same orchid as the first picture above, it's been blooming for 4 weeks now.( 5/31/2011)

MWGC - May Little Show

On May's MWGC meeting, I entered two designs for the little show, one is a "Tubular Design." I used three PVC tube as containers and the peony were from my garden.

Another one is a "Flowering of the Arts." I arranged all the flowers (which were from my garden too) to interpret the painting below. I bought this water color painting from Acapulco, Mexico long time ago.(5/25/2011)

"Flowering of the Arts' - Interpret a painting of your choice

In a Suiban without Kenzan

I arranged this at home and took this picture at a different angle a day before class.

I made this arrangement in the suiban without using Kenzan. I used an upside down wood branch as a center framework that is steady in place, then I interlocked the branch with the maple, lilac and a clematis flower. The base is effectively displayed with water. My teacher said this was beautiful--what do you think? (5/17/2011)

Paying Attention to the Container and Placement

I love this container (Rosenthal, made in Germany) because its unique open mouth. I want to showcase it, so I made a simple arrangement only using a few Irises to suit the subject title. I placed my composition the corner of the stairs toward one side against the window.(5/17/2011)

To be Viewed from All Angles

We skipped April's Ikebana class because our teacher went for vacation. We resumed May's class today. I made my arrangement "To be viewed all angles" using waved pine and Azalea.
I also had an another big free style arrangement that my teacher assigned me to do this time. I just did my first lay out draft today. It will be completed next ikebana class.(5/5/2011)