A DIAGONAL LINE OF FLOWERING QUINCE

 

This year part of the clump of red Japanese Flowering quince Chaenomeles, seems to be flowering more prolifically that in previous years.

I must have planted this Flowering quince about thirty five years ago. It is a delight to see part of this bush as I look from the west-facing kitchen window, especially when the late afternoon sun shines through the petals.

There is also a white Flowering quince in the garden. It was grown from a cutting and given to me by my colleague and Ikebana friend Joan. 

The third variety of Flowering quince in the garden is this one that was given to me by a former work colleague and friend Shirley. Appropriately, it is called Chaenomeles "Apple Blossom".

I have a new student in my Geelong class who recently created a Basic Upright ikebana, the first exercise in the Sogetsu curriculum. 

Susie did not have suitable branches and so I suggested that she use her long stems of Gladiolus for the principle lines and the seed head of Bursaria spinosa for the Hikae, 'flower line".

I asked my advanced students to make an ikebana "Using Camellia with Pine and or Willow". 

Maree used a very interesting vessel made from a folded ceramic cylinder, which has two openings.The lower part of the cylinder extended the left side. That leftward line was balanced by having the fine Tortuous willow Salix, curving to the upper right. Two variegated Camellias, provide focal points and the freshness of live material.

Maureen also used Tortuous willow, in this instance a thick branch that was placed outside the vessel to create a dramatically strong diagonal line. Two white camellias created a floral focus.

Christine placed her curving branch of Tortuous willow in a suiban so that it made an arch of multiple irregular lines. Nestled beneath the arch is a single, bright red Camellia flower, also curving to the right.

Helen used a large glass vase in which she set a single straight branch of Japanese Black Pine Pinus thunbergii, at a shallow angle to the right. Two pink Camellias create a floral focus at the opening of the vase. The clear glass gives a feeling of lightness to the ikebana.

Ellie also used a large branch of Tortuous willow which she extended to the right of her lacquered vase. The floral focus on the left side of the vase draws attention to the short thick base of the willow branch.

For my ikebana this week, I was delighted to be able to use some of the red Flowering quince from the garden.

Here is the work placed in the living room wall niche. I have used a single branch of the Flowering quince. The diagonal line that extends from the lower left to the right side are separate side-branches that attach to the main stem very closely together. I have put a kink in the highest branch so that it reinforces the movement of the main diagonal line. A mass of Geranium leaves sit at the opening of the vase. Some fixing techniques were necessary to hold the main line at this angle as the righthand side was relatively heavy.

 

I took this photo against a screen and from an elevated position. This is more true to how the ikebana looks in the niche when viewed from a standing position.

The vase is by the Japanese born Australian ceramicist, Terunobu Hirata.

Greetings from Christopher
9th August 2025