Last week I showed some photos of winter blossom in our garden, including some wattle that was just coming into bloom. Over the past week I have noticed more wattle on the roadside and in gardens around the town. At this time of year the wattle is very eye catching because trees are transformed by masses of golden yellow blossom.
This particular cascade of yellow-gold is of a Cootamundra Wattle acacia baileyana. It is not in our garden but...
...on a front fence in the township.
It was the focus material of an arrangement by my student Kim. We were given a large amount of prunings from a Manchurian Pear pyrus ussuriensis by the management of the community facility where we hold the classes.
This is the arrangement he made. The bare branch had a really strong character and Kim has contrasted it with a small somewhat delicate mass of acacia baileyana.
This photo shows the delicate blue-gray leaves of the tree. It helps explain the drama of the transformation from blue-grey to yellow-gold.
I was surprised to notice this Golden Wattle acacia pycnantha by the roadside as it is blooming rather early. Because this is a very young plant the trunk is smooth and covered with a grey-white powdery 'bloom'. It makes a very strong contrast to the blossom and leaves.
The flowers are larger than the Cootamundra wattle and a stronger yellow...
...and the large leaves are green, not blue-grey.
For my ikebana I have re-used the branches of my 'no kenzan' arrangement from the Sogetsu exhibition of six weeks ago and added acacia pycnantha. To this I have added contrasting green lines of sedge leaves lepidosperma gladiatum, giving a swirling movement to the work.
Greetings from Christopher
15th July 2018.
I like the movement the sedge grass gives your lovely arrangement. How long does the acacia pycnantha last out of water?
ReplyDelete