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) |
The month of May is coming to the end! So are my peonies. This arrangement made on 5/17/2024, one day before my demonstration at Taiwanese Grace Church. (For the purpose of demo practicing)
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| Mountain Laurel |
August is the month for MainLine Study Branch members to have the chance to create Ikebana arrangements; to display in certain areas in this beautiful and authentic Japanese house, located in Fairmont Park, PA. Fellowed by BuxMount Study Group, they had done it in July.
I volunteered to do 4 arrangements for the 3rd weekend of August 18 to 20th. Using their containers, I just brought my flower materials and arranged there. Their staff would take care of the rest until next weekend and then whoever is responsible would replace my arrangements with fresh arrangements.
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| Entrance to inside the house |
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| Tatami room, window alcove |
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| Pass this small alcove to get into the tea room |
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| Tea room, chabana |
Materials: Eastern redbud, dogwood, azalea and mum / ceramic vase
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| Eastern redbud |
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| Dogwood |
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| Weeping Cherry |
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| Crabapple |
I am playing around with an existing arrangement. I think it’s pretty to arrange Cherry blossoms and Japanese quince together. Their colors of pale pink and orange pink with a dark container and drift wood all together just look beautiful!
The "Autumn Cherry Tree" blooms twice a year, spring and fall. They are stunning and unique. After an early spring bloom, deep pink buds opened up to pale white flowers in large clusters, and then these trees give an encore in fall, when many other trees are losing their leaves.
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| We have planted two cherry trees in our backyard since we moved to this house. |
There are some other summer flowers in my garden besides daylily. Here is an arrangement using hydrangea and stokes’ aster in a glass vase.
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| added zinnia and petunia |
Tiny, white, daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers are very pretty and cute! I love them. They are summer flowers and perennial plants too, and good material for Ikebana arrangements. The name is “Feverfew.”
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| 6/12/2022 |
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| 6/10/2022 |
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| Feverfew plants, 6/10/2022 |
A week ago, there were some peonies still remaining in my garden, now there are only a few left! This arrangement was made on 6/3/2022, using many of the varieties of peonies while they were available. I combined them with hosta and daylily leaves.
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| Peony and Japanese maple |
I have been busy mending my garden since May: edging, mulching, thinning bushes, trimming trees and planting some annual flowers, because my garden will be one of 12 other gardens to be shown by our MWGC garden walk (6/8/2022). This is our major fundraiser for student scholarships.
Time goes by so fast! I have to find some time to make ikebana arrangements using iris and peony. They fade away before you realize it!
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| 6/2/2022 |
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| 6/2/2022 |
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| 5/30/2022 |
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| 5/22/2022 |
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| 5/26/2022 |
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| 5/20/2022 |
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