BLACK WHITE and GREEN

When we began to establish our garden 36 years ago, there were more shrubs than trees. Many blocks around ours still did not have houses on them. There were very few dogs and cats in the neighbourhood. The dense shrubs and reed thickets in the creek gave the many small birds some protection. Now there are houses on all but the very occasional block and most gardens have larger trees. The cat and dog population has exploded. 

Our early garden was populated with small birds like this New Holland Honeyeater, but they gradually disappeared.

Now, the changed environment suits larger birds in the garden and the smaller birds have migrated to the clifftop heath where they have greater protection in the low growing dense shrub. This recent photo taken on the clifftop heath gives a glimpse of the Honeyeater's yellow wing patches.

On a rare vacant block in the township, a pair of Masked Lapwings commonly know as "Plovers" are once again trying to raise a chick. They may be successful because the block is completely fenced. 

*          *          *          *          *

In the world of ikebana I showed you this photo last week...

...when the potted irises produced a single flower. At the time I was delighted to have such a beautiful blue bloom. However, I thought the ikebana was not well balanced in terms of the volume of the flower compared to the leaves.

So I was especially pleased when the irises produced another flower before the first had withered.

In my Geelong class Tess made an ikebana using White Narcissus from her garden. So that she would not kill the bulb, she told me she only took a couple of leaves from each plant. Obviously they have propagated well. Having such a lot of leaves she was able to make a contemporary style ikebana. A mass of leaves sweep across two black suibans with a focus of a single stem of the white flowers.

Coincidently I had made an ikebana at home with the same colour combination, green leaves and white flowers in a black vase

. 

This is a side view to reveal just how far forward the large leaf projects, which is not obvious in the photo from the front.

I have used white Incurve Chrysanthemums, and the dark green leaves are Acanthus from the garden. The flowers are "peeping" from the side of the vase and are sheltering beneath the larger leaf above. 

Acanthus leaves are especially beautiful for their glossy dark green and symmetrically lobed form. Unfortunately, they have very sticky sap and wilt quickly if not treated correctly.  Here is the solution to keeping Acanthus leaves fresh. Prepare a tall vase with warm water (40 degrees C) to which is added 10ml of white vinegar per litre. Re-cut the stem under water and rub the cut until the stickiness has gone. Then place the stem deep in the prepared water. Leave for at least an hour, in a cool dark place if possible. If it is to be arranged in a kenzan it would be wise to gently bind the end with florists tape or an elastic band as it will curl like split celery. The arrangement above is still looking fresh five days after it was created. 

Greetings from Christopher.

22nd August 2021