HARMONISING COLOURS

This winter our house was surrounded by scaffolding while maintenance work was being undertaken. The project was rain- delayed for some time and the garden was neglected more than usual. Now that the maintenance is finished I am really enjoying the changes that spring brings to the garden. 

Yesterday, after hanging washing on the clothes line, I turned around and was startled to see this mass of climbing rose flowers on the north-facing side of the wire fence. They were not open at the beginning of the week. This rose was planted by our neighbour some years ago and has progressively extended along the fence. Because we are on the sunny side of the fence we benefit most from the flower display. A little bit like the Japanese idea of "borrowed scenery". Only in this case, accidental not planned.

Fortunately for our neighbour, in late winter to early spring they get most of the benefit from our Japonica Chaneomeles. So the benefit of seeing into each other's garden is a reciprocal one. 

Recently, I set my Torquay and Geelong students the task of making an ikebana using materials with at least three different colours.

Róża used Aeonium succulents in the orange-yellow-green range, set in a copper suiban that harmonised with the materials.

Pamela also used the same range of colours with two different Broom Genisteae flowers and Garden nasturtium Tropaeolum majus* flower and leaves. A bare branch provided support for the light materials.  

Lyn's materials were in the green-yellow-orange range. She used Euphorbia, two different Leucadendrons and a Grevillea.

Coralie created a divided ikebana and with effectively two sets of colour combinations. On the lower left blue and green and the upper right, orange to red. The materials are: left side, Strelitzia and right side Nandina and Japanese flowering quince Chaenomeles.

In the Geelong class, Ellie arranged Alstromeria and button Chrysanthemum in yellow and two shades of orange.

Helen used materials in the orange-yellow-green range: Aeonium and Clivia. Her use of clear glass vases led to the interesting creation of space below the waterline in the vases. 

Maureen's ikebana is an example of mazezashi; that is, an ikebana using a variety of materials. In this example of the exercise she has used five kinds of flowering materials. The more materials used the more difficult this exercise becomes.

The photo  below is of an ikebana I made in late September when the Tamarisk Tamarix was in flower.

This is an example of the exercise; "Taking the colour of the vessel into account".  In this instance I have clearly chosen the vessel because of its close colour harmony with the Tamarisk. I have added a single leaf of Acanthus A. mollis for its textural and colour contrast.

The vessel was pit-fired with organic materials including seaweed and, I think, splashed with copper glaze. I bought the vessel in Portland, Victoria, about forty years ago. It is stamped "Cobboboonee". If anyone knows the maker's name I would be pleased to hear from you.

Greetings from Christopher

8th November 2025

* Did you know "Garden nasturtium" is not related to the Genus Nasturtium? 

I didn't, and I bless (and support) Wikipedia.