It’s Cool to make Hydrangea Arrangements

It’s been so hot this July month! Up to 90 plus degree F for most days. We are all sheltering at home due to COVID-19 pandemic, so we don’t go out anyway and keep cool in the house.
I made two arrangements using Hydrangea and some kind of wild vine growing from bushes next to the fence with my neighbor. I thought it’s cool and fun to create Ikebana using it.

Self made basket

Purchased moss ball

Why My Cornflowers are Missing Petals This Year

This summer, I noticed some of my cornflowers' blooms are missing petals? They bloom beautifully each year but why not this time? I was so disappointed! So, I did the google search:

“It appears your plants might be infected with Eriophyid mites, microscopic mites which live inside the flower buds and suck nutrients from the flowers. This results in stunted and distorted flower parts, such as your missing petals.”
“It is important that the plants be cut back to the ground in the fall and be removed from the area and destroyed to prevent re-infestation the following year. Do not compost these plant but place them in a black plastic bag and dispose of in your garbage.”

My husband said, because they got COVID-19, that’s why!!

I wish this information could help you too! It surely answered my question. Even though, the cornflowers still do attract many butterflies, bees and yellow finch birds, and I still can enjoy watching them flying around the flower seed pods!

yellow tiger swallowtail 

black tiger swallow butterfly 

yellow finch

tiger swallow butterfly

female yellow finch

male yellow finch

The Two Oncidium Orchids ( Dancing Lady Orchid)

I posted this Oncidium orchid on 6/20/2020 which is still budding. Now, more than a month has passed, it reached its peak blooming time and is gradually fading away (Issaku Nagata). But another smaller cute oncidium is still going strong (second below). 

6/19/2020,. Issaku Nagata

7/4/202, in full bloom

7/15/2020, no name

7/23/2020 

7/15/2020 here are the three kink of orchids on display

Happy Birthday to Hata Sensei

The students of Hata Sensei's New York Wasetsu Sogetsu study group and Philadelphia Main Line study group gathered together on Zoom to celebrate Sensei’s birthday last weekend.
I made an arrangement for this special occasion to express my thought for Hata Sensei’s forever young birthday!
All the flowers were from my garden, the big silver allium, which I have saved for many years, just perfectly added a festive effect!

Two ceramic suibans pile up together with flowers and allium

viewed from above

Hydrangea Arrangement and How to Prolong its Beauty

The hydrangeas are so pretty! I just love them. But after cutting, they do not last long and wilt easily!
How to prolong its beauty to last as long as possible in an arrangement? I learned this tip:1) Cut stems at an angle, snip off all the leaves. 2) Dip cut stem in a jar of Alum powder (in the spice aisle of the supermarket), the alum keeps the end of the stem open so it will take in as much water as possible.
I cut some of my hydrangeas in the morning, quickly placed them in a water container, then I followed the tip to condition the flowers.

My arrangement materials: Round shaped ceramic container with round hydrangea flower head and other lacecap hydrangea, cherry branch and boxwood to complete my arrangement.

without background

Hydrangea and Tissue Box Container

Summer is in the air! Summer flowers are continually blooming in my garden. The hydrangeas have more flowers than last year. I have two kinds of hydrangea; regular and lacecap hydrangea (see below).
Here is an empty tissue box that I used as container (glass cup inside). Lacecap hydrangeas seems more suitable for this arrangement.

lacecap hydrangea

regular hydrangea