WINTER FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN.

At this time of year we are blessed with winter flowering plants. In the Mediterranean climate of coastal Victoria we have not only introduced species from the northern hemisphere, but also introduced Australian native plants from elsewhere on the continent as well as our own local (native) species.

The Lorraine Lee rose has its origin in the northern hemisphere. However, this particular rose was bred in Australia by Alister Clark in 1924. It is looking better this year than for a very long time as it is now better protected from possums. My protective device, a curtain hanging below the horizontal lattice on a tall pole, through which the rose grows, has kept the possums at bay. I also pruned the adjacent trees from which the possums might have jumped onto the rose to eat the new growth.

The Swan River pea Gastrolobium celsianum, is endemic to Western Australia and has masses of bright red "beak-shaped" flowers at this time of year. It is a spreading plant and has been useful on some of the sloping garden beds around the house.

Here is a close-up of a couple of flowers.

Finally, the long-flowering Coastal Banksia B. integrifolia. It is a widely distributed plant growing along the coast from just west of where we live up the east coast of Australia as far north as the central coast of Queensland. It is also generously self seeding in the garden.

About four and a half weeks ago my teacher, Elizabeth, had a Magnolia removed from her garden which had out-grown the space available. I used the bare branches in an ikebana a few weeks ago and kept some unused branches in water in a cool dark room. During the week I went into the room and, to my complete surprise, found that a single flower had opened on one of the stored branches.

What classic beauty! Elegant form with subtle colouring. I am amazed and enchanted still. Of course I immediately had to arrange it in a vase.

I chose a very interesting vessel by the Victorian ceramicist Paul Davis. Fixing the branch in the desired position required some problem solving. The vessel has a very narrow slit opening. 

My solution was to find a small forked branch against which the branch could be supported, otherwise it would have been lying quite flat.

I was quite happy with the effectiveness of my technique. However, because of the flattening effect of the camera I do not think this has photographed well.

At the beginning of the week, the Victorian Branch of the Sogetsu School held a workshop on the theme of using New Zealand Flax. We were also asked to bring an "interesting vase". The workshop leader, Jenny Loo, showed several examples which can be seen on the Branch website. A twist was added to the participating members' work. They were required to exchange their "interesting vase" with their adjacent neighbour.

Above is a strikingly effective, simple ikebana created by Thea Sartori, one of the senior teachers of the Branch. Thea created a bright point of colour contrast by placing a small sprig of purple pea-shaped flowers on the left hand side. I was surprised by the unexpected harmony between the colour of the flax and the oxide colouring on the vase. Readers of this blog may recognise the vase made by Janet Keefe from Ontario, Canada. This was the "interesting vase" which I brought to the workshop, but which I had to exchange with Thea.

This is my ikebana in the vessel brought by Thea. The square fronted vessel is very narrow front to back and I decided to  reference its shape with a straight line design. This turned out to be much harder than I had anticipated because the ikebana was looking unacceptably flat as I was working on it. I was relieved when Thea advised me to turn the tallest flax leaf side-on and then thread the others through it. In retrospect I should have also angled the vessel by slightly moving the right hand side back so that there would be a subtle forward movement giving a feeling of depth.

Click here for further images from the Victorian Branch workshop.

Greetings from Christopher

22nd July 2023