UMBRELLA GRASS: CYPERUS ALTERNIFOLIUS

Last week I noticed that a number of stems of the umbrella grass Cyperus alternifolius in the conservatory were yellowing. I think from insufficient water. I have them growing in a small plastic pond which is filled with potting mix. In the recent warm days more evaporation had occurred than I had realised. I remedied the situation, adding extra water, and removed the dying stems. 

This resulted in a fair number of stems that I could not allow to go into the compost without first serving sometime as an ikebana subject. I went to the vase shelves and realised that a pair of recently acquired tall narrow resin vases would provide a sufficient height. Being a pair meant that I could set them apart and use the space between the vases.

I secured a number of stems to a vertical fixture, then bent them to create narrow scalene triangular forms. These have been bunched together so that the long tapering points are directed toward the other vase. Four bright red geranium flower heads provide focal points in each vase.

Greetings from Christopher
26th January 2025

A SLANTING ARRANGEMENT of CROCOSMIA

At the beginning of the week, as I was preparing for bed, I noticed this small lizard, a Marbled Gecko, on the outside glass of the living room window. The grey lines behind the lizard are external louvers. This is a great spot for the little creature to catch insects that are drawn to the light inside the house. Many small flying insects land on the window and just stop there. It would seem that they cannot fly away from the bright light.

Today, several days later, the weather was warm with a strong easterly wind.

This was the view today from the west end of the Torquay Surf Beach looking toward Point Danger at the eastern end.

Looking west from the same place is Jan Juc Beach, which was closed because of the very strong cross-currents caused by the easterly winds. In the distance is Sunny Side Beach, with Point Addis beyond and very faint in the photo.

When we later went for a walk along the creek I noticed the brilliant orange of a flowering mass of Crocosmia aurea, an African grassland plant which is in the iris family.

It is  a garden escapee that is doing rather too well in the moist environment of the creek. The colour is striking, and I did not have to wrestle with my conscience about gathering some of this weed for this week's ikebana.

I have arranged three stems, with their leaves attached. Because of the forward curve of the tip of the inflorescence, I set them at an angle to better show the fully opened flowers. The shorter second and third stems are on opposite sides of the main, Shin line. The angle of the stems also gives the ikebana a more dramatic look in the Japanese ikebana vase. Three leaves at the front are set in the traditional style for arranging irises; that is, each leaf is of a different length and the central leaf is shorter than the two on each side. This configuration is not apparent in the photograph.

Greetings from Christopher,

19th January 2025

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MELALEUCA LANCEOLATA and VALERIANA RUBER

On Thursday afternoon last week... 

...Laurie and I were surprised that we did not notice this Echidna until we were only about three metres away. It was very preoccupied fossicking for ants in the gravel mulch of the nearby garden. We were down-wind and stood quite still for a few minutes watching this wonderful example of Australian wildlife going quietly about its business.

 

The warm summer weather has brought on the flowering of the Moonah Melaleuca lanceolata trees and shrubs. Those in the photo above are by a beach carpark and exposed to prevailing winds. As a result they are only a couple of metres tall. In sheltered areas by the creek even newly-planted ones reach four metres and more. I had been watching these blossoms and thinking to use them as an ikebana subject.

A couple of days ago I made this vertical ikebana in a suiban. I was very interested in the tallest stem that has a lovely S-bend curving line. When I put that branch in place it reminded me of the traditional Seika ikebana form. It is so interesting to realise that traditional naturalistic ikebana reveals forms that occur naturally. I remember my first teacher pointing out that the ikebana masters of the past were great observers of nature.

To make it clear that I was making a Sogetu School ikebana I added a single supporting line to the right of the first line; thus creating a space between the two lines that more or less follows the curves. In this instance, once I had placed the main stems, I did additional trimming to emphasise the lines and the space. Then, to create a contrasting focal point, I added a single stem of Red Valerian Valeriana ruber. If I have an opportunity to re-photograph this material I will use a black backdrop to emphasise the white of the Moonah flowers.

Greetings from Christopher,

who has been busy this weekend entertaining his cousin from Darwin. My cousin travelled 3,124 kilometres to attend a family celebration.

12th January 2025

RED CORYMBIA FICIFOLIA

The corymbia in the garden has started to bloom again this summer. This particular one has bright red flowers. Others have pink, white or orange flowers.

I climbed the fence to photograph the top of the tree. It is not very tall yet! This is a section of the top which shows the small pink buds before opening on the left side, a fully open inflorescence on the top right, and some seedpods (gumnuts) at the bottom.

Here is a small group of open flowers in close-up. There were quite a number of bees gathering nectar from these flowers. I am surprised that none are visible in the photograph. 

Ever since it started flowering a number of weeks ago I had been thinking of using this lovely blossom as an ikebana subject.  

A couple of days ago I arranged two clusters of blossom in a dark Bizen vase, adding the tall curving lines of a bare Apricot branch. The side branch on the lower right, curves forward almost embracing the flower mass, unfortunately lost with the flattening effect of the photograph. The other branches seem to open up the space above the flowers.

Today being in the mid-thirties Celsius, I was certainly going to be spending most of my time indoors. In the relative cool of the early morning I had picked some flowers lest they wilt. Later, I decided to make another ikebana. Having started without a particular plan, the ikebana developed a summer look. In my mind the beach was being invoked because the principal element was a dried piece of Moonah Melaleuca lanceolata driftwood.

I chose a curving, square-section, rectangular vessel and found a way to secure it within the embrace of the driftwood. This position gave height to the ikebana and helped to support two upright flower stems of Dietes Grandiflora. On the left side I set several flowering stems of Crassula arborescens at an angle. The curving bottom of the vessel kept the ikebana stable even though the right side was elevated.

The maker of the vessel is the Victorian ceramicist Paul Davis. The photo below shows the curved shape of the vessel.

Greetings and best wishes 

for the New Year from,

Christopher.

5th January 2025