White Cattleyas

C. Skinneri Alba " Debbie" FCC/AOS

Close up view ( so sad, it last only two weeks. 11/19-12/3)
Third place in Cat. group (windowsill grower)
I have these two identical white cattleyas. I might have divided them last Summer, but I can't recall. This is a big vigorous orchid. I remember it had only two flowers on one stem last time, besides that, the flowers have a much better form this year. It is blooming just in time for B.C.O.S.'s show table ( last Thursday's meeting) and Thanksgiving holiday.

Showing Lines at the Base

This is my teacher's arrangement--so graceful!

This is mine, not too bad.

I read the textbook's explanation of this arrangement so many times. Finally I understood the importance and beauty of the base material and its relation to the container. It seems easy to do but it's not! I choose wild raspberry plants from my back yard and one sunflower. Both were placed at a higher position than they would normally be in an ordinary arrangement, showing their artistic form. (11/17/09)

Thanksgiving Arrangement

Composition in today's class (after my teacher's magic touch)

Tried at home yesterday (11/16/09)

Another version of a Thanksgiving centerpiece (11/16/09)

"Special material and arrangements for festive occasions" is today's subject. Thanksgiving is approaching. We have many things to be thankful for. All my children and grandchildren are coming home for a family gathering. They are longing for my roast turkey and my special turkey stuffing and tempura, always a big hit.
This is a happy occasion, so I would like to make a flower arrangement as colorful and as loud as possible. A friend of mine gave me a bunch of bittersweets, I combined these with fruits, small mums, pine and other materials (draft wood) to compose my Thanksgiving themed arrangement. I have two versions here, one is dinning table centerpiece which can be viewed from all angles. The other one is placed against the foyer wall. What do you think? (11/17/09)

November's blooming orchids

This is my sun room. I want to show the scarlet red color of the maple tree outside the window. Isn't it beautiful?

Oncidium (Dancing lady). Saint Dawn Gold.

C. Pot. Mysteve Natsumi.
I divided this one into two plants. The other one finished blooming a month ago, it lasted about 6 weeks.

Milt Xenia

I posted this orchid in last September's "Happiness is ...." It's blooming now.
Second place in Oncidium group (windowsill grower)

Large Arrangement Free Style

One day before class, at home, over 4 ft. tall

After teacher's suggestion and changes

After I finished my wood arrangement a couple of weeks ago, my teacher encouraged me to do a larger arrangement. I think I am ready this time and have some ideas in my mind so I went looking for usable wood in the small forest in my backyard. I cut them, trimmed them, and interlocked them to make them secure and stabilized, then I put the self made container in the middle (shaped round like birds nest). I gathered the Nandinas, Mums, pine and laced maple in the container. At the bottom, as you can see there are also Mums, berries and pine. I think it looks beautiful but not striking enough.

Slanting Style Nageire Variation #1

Crape myrtles (turned a fall color now) with white Mums are good combination.

Slanting Style Moribana Variation #4

In this style, we have to emphasize the beauty by omission. So I used pear tree branches for both Shin and Hikae, no Soe in this arrangement. I added two purple Dahlias and chose the light blue container to balance the whole composition.(10/21/09)


I redid this assignment today because I didn't like what I did in yesterday's class. I changed the materials entirely.Much better and prettier.

Spreading Arrangement

Spreading arrangement is a style laid out directly on a table without using kenzan or containers. Use long lasting materials which can stay in place without water. I chose black pine, wax plant, daisies and red berry. Daisies can only last a couple of days but I can change them from time to time. This arrangement should be viewed from all angles. My teacher said that I could do it better by extending the vine and grouping the flowers. All right, I will try to improve it next time! (10/20/09)


From a different angle.

Back from vacation

Home site windowsill #4

Home site windowsill #2
It's been very cold these past two weeks. So I gradually brought all my orchids and house plants back inside the house. My home looks like jungle again. This means no more vacation for both orchids and me because I have to work regularly watering, fertilizing, checking and re-potting occasionally. I divided my orchids into five groups at different windowsills, I only work with one group each day, this way I won't feel so tired.
This October's B.C.O.S.'s meeting features an orchid auction (10/15/09), members donate their duplicate orchids, and the society purchases some wholesale blooming orchids for the auction too. This is our annual fundraiser, open for both members and the public.


One of the auction tables

Arranging with wood

My house is surrounded by woods, like a small forest. I was wandering in the woods yesterday, trying to find the best segment of wood and vine possible for today's class assignment. I used three pieces of wood that I found. I bent the vine and tied it first and arranged them all to support each other. The two pieces wood ended up being the same length, so my teacher suggested putting the Hydrangea in front to cover one piece of wood, then I put Cat tails in the back to give some height. The final composition looks well stabilized and beautiful. It's in the fall theme too! (10/6/09).

This arrangement practiced what we already learned. "Basic upright style Nageire" I was purposely choosing a white vase for the white Daises. What do you think? (10/6/09)

Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter#71

My teacher invited us, the students, to the Ikebana International (I.I) Philadelphia Chapter's lunch meeting last Thursday (9/24/09). Mrs. Kika Shibata was the guest demonstrator. She earned the prestigious title of RIJI, the highest degree offered by the Sogetsu school. She was appointed the Sogetsu regional Director of North America from 1996 to 2002 and she was chosen by Headmaster Akane Teshigahara as coordinator of west coast in North America. She also remains an active member of I.I. and She is the most active Sogutsu teacher internationally. Mrs. Kika Shibata specializes in unique line designs that enrich living and working environment. (Biography summarized from the I.I. program)

She traveled from San Jose to Philadelphia to demonstrate. She used all different kind of materials and containers to make a big Ikebana flower arrangement. All of them are beautiful. I definitely learned something from the I.I. meeting. Below is her work.