August Orchids Bloom

My orchid blooms in August are really not much to show. Here are the three:

Blc. Richard  Mueller x B.cordata
Bugs ate couple of new flower stems before I brought it home.
 Please compare to last September's orchids bloom.

 This is a miniature Dendrobium. I planted it on a root stump
 few years ago. It has bloomed a few times.

Dendrobium

My Husband's Retirement Party

My children threw a party for my husband's retirement on August 18, 2012 after 35 years of practice (Urologist). I made a flower arrangement for the restaurant's room entrance table. I'm so proud of being his wife. Everyone had such admiring words for him. He has been a kind and caring doctor. I was also happy to have my children and grandchildren there. I'm proud of them all.

Material: Zebra grass, Dahlia, Phlox, Zinnia and Hosta
Container:  Paper-like ceramic vase, 8x10x5 inches in size

Ikebana and Paper - Free Expression

This is a close up snap shot of a sunflower head  I took last month. Half of
its seeds have been eaten. I thought it's interesting and pretty. I used this
 picture as inspiration for today's Ikebana assignment.(8/14/2012)

Material:  Sunflower,Cornflower seed head, Hosta and
Forsythia branch

This is my teacher's demo arrangement and  it's another
way to arrange it.

This was my paper wrapping design in 2/2012. It also suited
today's title.

With leaves Only- Using Five kinds of Leaves

Today's assignment is to find five kinds of different leaves to compose an arrangement. I did this before in May 2009, but my teacher wants to push us to the next level. I can see the difference from now and then.(8/14/2012)

Material: Tiger tail, Phalodendron selloum, Caladium,Yucca and Begonia

Two Free Style arrangements

This composition consists of Hydrangea, Lily and one piece of trimmed twig,
 plus one Peace lily leaf.  

Materials: Philodendron sellum, purple dwarf balloon flower,
white Bellflower and drift wood.

July Orchids Bloom

Usually my orchids do not bloom in summer too often. I only have a new one that is blooming right now and the other two have been blooming since previous months.  

Cattleya (name lost). This was a very young plant. I got it
from pot party a few years ago. First time bloom. The flowers
are only two inches in size.

Three flowers have faded. New buds keep coming since May.

I cut the main stem off when it finished blooming.
The new branches are blooming beautifully.
This Phalaenopsis was a gift. It has been blooming  for
more than two months now.