Prepare for Philadelphia Flower Show 2025 (1)

After February class lessons, it time for thinking about PHS Philadelphia flower show (3/1-3/9/2025). I am in the 2nd rotation. The layout below: #4 is my spot. It’s a large two layers platform, the bottom is 4feetx4feetx1feet, the circle is 3feetx4inches. (2/23/2025)

Back side

Ceramic container, I will use this side

My first attempt design 

Dried Flower Arrangement

I didn’t attend the Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter meeting on 2/20/2025. I missed Mary Jane Risch’s demonstration and workshop. But I made an arrangement at home using all dried materials which I collected and saved from time to time.

Dried materials: Hydrangea, safflower, nandina berry, palm, Philodendron and tree branch / ceramic vase

February Class Lesson (1) - With Leaves Only

We had two lessons on 2/18/2025, using the same leaves materials for both arrangements.    Lesson (1): With Leaves Only (book4 - 2).   Lesson (2): Composition Expressing on a Movement (book5 - 18);  use the same materials from lesson one, adding flowers if you like. 

I chose ceramic triangular shaped container (with three holes in each side) for my first lesson, the leaves materials were Philodendron, Aucuba, Aspidistra and cymbidium leaves. 

In class 2/18/2025

Sensei’s Demo 

Arranged at home day before (2/17/2025)

2/17/2025  different angle

February Class Lesson (2) - Composition Expressing on a Movement

Create a composition by developing its idea from a VERB of movement (Book 5-18). There are so many verbs indicating movement. For example: Rise, climb, roll, flow, overflow, fly, fall, bounce, turn …etc.  I thought it would be hard to use the same leaves to create a movement at first, and then I figured that I could use cymbidium leaves and Aspidistra to make an arrangement by which could be felt “Fall” or “Blow”.  (2 /18/ 2025)

Sensei wanted me to add more tulips to be better balance

Original design, added tulips to look like Falling 

Sensei’s Expand movement 

Tulip and Golden Maple Branches

This winter seems very long and cold! But when I step into the supermarket these days, there are a tons of tulips, all kind of colors! I wonder if spring is coming or not far away?!

Only One Kind of Material - Nandina

We have class lessons once a month. In between, I usually would find something or use leftover flowers to make one or two arrangements for my own pleasure.  It’s been very cold, there is nothing in my garden except nandina bushes, I have a lot of them!  So, here is my arrangement:

Winter Snow Scenes- Winterscape

It has been a cold winter! Even though we don’t have much snow in our area, but it is the coldest winter so far! When my children reported to us they had 5 inches snow in their area Rhinebeck, NY,  we had none! But our winter scenery looked like a work of art!  The trees and bushes covered with ice, clear and bright like crystal, so beautiful!  (1/9/2025)

 

Orchid Bloom for Lunar New Year

Cymbidium orchids often bloom in January. This is the only one blooming, which I have had for so many years. It always blooms faithfully around Lunar New year time (1/29/2025)!  It is a good thing that I have something to celebrate! Besides, their flowers can last for several weeks.

1/28/2025

1/30/2025

1/22/2025

1/1/2025

1/26/2025

1/26/2025, Delaware river, the bridge between PA and NJ

Freestyle Using Philodendron

Three days after class was still very cold!  In the early morning my outdoor Thermometer indicated zero degree F. Wow! I thought I better stay home.  So, I cleaned up my ikebana room and created a new arrangement using Philodendron and leftover flowers.  (1/24/2025)

I created a new arrangement beside the assigned subjects

7:00AM in the morning 

It’s so cold 🥶 the earth stands still 

Playing Around the Leftover Materials

One small bouquet I bought for my class lessons on 1/21/2025. After that, I reused most of them and playing around to rearrange or created a new arrangement.  (1/23/2025)