AUTUMNAL HYDRANGEA

At my Melbourne class I asked the students to make an ikebana using "Colours in the same tonal range". This exercise creates a richness of colour through the variation in the tones of that colour.

Jacqueline used a small Sunflower Helianthus, as her starting point. She then created a slanting mass with orange-tinged, yellow Alstroemeria and added three striped Canna "Phasion" leaves.

Eugenia used a glass vessel in which she arranged dark maroon Aeonium arboreum, succulents and a small mass of red Geraniums. Two variegated leaves with maroon, pink and green colouring were placed as lines rising to the right.

Aileen used stems of Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and a cluster of pink flowering Eucalyptus to create a horizontal ikebana arrangement.  

Four weeks ago I noticed that the cerise Hydrangea was beginning to develop autumnal tonings. These flowers hold their form well and become a little more firm while their colours deepen and change in this season.

I chose them to make a simple, naturalistic ikebana placing them unevenly in the trough-shaped vessel to create a space between the middle flower and the flower on the right side. Between these two flowers I placed a small piece of dried wood with interesting curves and surface texture. 

Greetings from Christopher
10th May 2026