RED VALERIAN and ACANTHUS

I recently set my Torquay students the exercise of making an ikebana "Focusing on contrasting textures".

Lyn brought a large piece of very thick bark, some flowers, leaves and stems of Nasturtium Tropaeolum, and a tropical leaf that may be known by the common name "Horse Head Philodendron" * ;  possibly Philodendron bipennifolium. She used the bark to elevate her Japanese footed-vase at the back. This meant that it was tilted forward, so that the water was at the front only. The textural contrast between the materials was very clear. 

Róża used a dried branch of Coastal tea tree Gaudium laevigatum, and some smooth-textured succulent Aeonium, rosettes and flowers as well. The branch was stripped of its leaves showing its curving lines and rough fibrous bark. The materials are set on a horizontal piece of slate that has a well for fresh materials.

In the Melbourne class, the exercise was to make an ikebana emphasising straight lines and using two vessels. Aileen's material was Arum Lily Zantedeschia aethiopica, with which she made a strong design by using only four stems. She removed the spathe on the almost horizontal stem in the front vessel, because it weakened the impact of the remaining open flower.

Jacqueline also completed the same exercise. She used two white vessels of contrasting shapes. The (almost) straight lines were dried willow stems and a single long stem of white multi-headed Chrysanthemum. Two more small flowers sit at the mouth of the annulus vase.

Julie-Ann's exercise was to make a Basic Upright, nageire style ikebana in "reverse". That meant the tall Shin line leans slightly to the right and the Hikae, flower line, is on the left and angled forward. Materials: Camellia branches and Roses.

 

In the garden the Red Valerian, Valeriana rubra, has been flourishing this Spring. Some of it was cascading  through the fence and onto the public footpath, which I had to clear away -  well most of it anyway. Rather than put the flowers straight into the compost, I decided to give them a second life in a vase.

The supporting material I added was an Acanthus leaf.

I arranged seven Valerian flowers vertically by aligning the stems and placing them very close to each other. The flower heads are set in an alternating pattern. A single Acanthus leaf was arranged vertically behind the flowers which also helped highlight their colour.

The wood-fired ceramic vase, with natural ash glazing, is by the New South Wales ceramicist Ian Jones.

Greetings from Christopher

15th November 2026

 

* According to Wikipedia, "As of October 2025, Plants of the World Online accepted 627 species of Philodendron". 
I was really surprised to learn this. CJ