Autumn Splendor - Demonstration for Zoom Class

I was invited to do a demonstration for BuxMount Sogetsu study group Zoom class on October 13. Using wood was the subject. A big piece of bare rooted wood that I found from a discarded wood pile (see below). I used this piece of wood as my base for an arrangement. I gathered all the possible materials that I might like to use, such as bittersweet, hydrangea, mum, hosta and....

I only used two water tubes for mums to keep them fresh. The hydrangea, bittersweet and hosta would gradually dry nicely without water. All these materials I carefully arranged into the rooted hole to complete my composition.

There is another subject of arrangement in text book 4 for composition with dried materials, I can present this one as well.

 This is a rather big arrangement, more than two feet tall:

practice demo on outside patio 

My demonstration arrangement 

Upside down rooted wood

Sign of Fall - Garden Chrysanthemum

Garden Chrysanthemums are blooming, sign of Autumn here in my garden. 

The Hinoki, mum and dry branch were the main materials that I wanted to arrange with or without dahlias, I took three pictures for each arrangement and compared them. In the end, I liked the first one the most. How about you?

Container: ceramic triangular tall vase  

Basic Slanting Style Moribana

The MainLine Sogetsu study group is now meeting virtually. September was our third time for zoom class. Sensei asked us to review book 1,Variation #2, Slanting Style Moribana. In Zoom class Sensei did a demonstration of this style. If we wish, we could make this arrangement and photograph it from the view of front, side and top, and send the photos to Sensei. For next month's meeting, she will offer critiques of  this arrangements.

Materials: Azalea, dahlia and fire throne /  ceramic suiban

Sensei’s critique: overall is good. Suiban is too small, can not show the water (I noticed it), if my container is big enough, kenzan put in the right side, it will be perfect and look beautiful! (11/9/2020)

Front view

Side view

View from top

Gladiolus and Aspidistra

It is hard to believe that we have been in this Covid-19 Pandemic lock down for more than six months, from late Winter to Spring, past Summer to now early fall. We are still not free to get back to our life the way we were! But, one thing for certain, I have beloved Ikebana to think and create, plenty of garden materials I can pick..... Fortunately! I didn’t have to go out to buy any flowers, all were found from my back yard garden and surroundings. Until now, for a change, I purchased a bunch, ten stems of Gladiolus for only three dollars! Here is my arrangement with Aspidistra house plant.

Japanese Anemone and Pachira Money Tree leaves

Fall is in the air! I love that crisp and refreshing air. But, we all know that it doesn’t take long for all of the leaves to fall off the trees. My Japanese anemones are fading away soon too, only a few flowers remain.

“Pachira aquatics is a commonly found house plant called a money tree. Because it will bring luck to the owner of this plant.” This house plant was from a dish garden, a gift from a patient of my husband’s almost 30 years ago. Since we have changed it to a regular pot, the plant has been growing bigger and taller. Now, it is up to 8 feet tall! (in the wild tropical jungle it can grow up to 60 feet).

Japanese Anemone Arrangement

Japanese Anemone is one of my favorite plant. I like their long blooming seasons. These perennial plants make a beautiful sight in my partial shade garden from summer to early fall, when many other perennials starting to fade. 

Here is an arrangement using the most of Japanese anemone and few dahlia.

 

Hyacinth Bean and Pink Dahlia Arrangement

A friend of mine picked some purple Hyacinth beans with flowers for me from her garden. Thanks to her! The beans became a delicious dish and the purple flower branches I used to make a tall arrangement.

Hyacinth bean vine, sedum and dahlia / ceramic

With wild sweet autumn vine

Fall Color Arrangement - Dahlia

It's almost the end of September. In my garden, there are not many flowering plants left, but some yellow and pink dahlia are still blooming, waiting for me to pick for Ikebana arrangement.  Here are: yellow dahlia, Mardi gras Helenium and gold dust leaves / ceramic container 

 

Orchid from Division

These two orchid plants were from one mother plant (please check 8/25 post) which I divided into two plants couple years ago. Three of them bloomed in different time this Summer. From budding to full bloom took about one month and last for 3 to 4 weeks, this orchid also has a very pleasant fragrance.

 

Flowering Vine and Onion Allium - Covid -19 Pandemic arrangement

I have some sweet Autumn vine left, they are enough to make another arrangement for my new design, I just need to select a suitable container (Lenox vase) and pick some ornamental onion flowers from my garden.

A new creation has come alive!

Do the onion flowers look like Coronavirus?

Ornamental onion plant