Helen arranged grasses, nandina and flowers from her garden

On Sunday 12 October, 2pm - 4pm, a workshop led by Helen will be held in Khandallah Presbyterian Church Hall, 33 Ganges Road.

Helen has provided the following notes:

For this workshop please cut your own materials, branches, leaves and/or flowers and observe how they were growing. It is then easy to make an ikebana arrangement, whether upright, slanting, or horizontal.

Over the years that I have been studying and teaching ikebana I have noticed that students who pick their own materials learn ikebana more quickly and show the materials to best advantage.

The idea for this workshop came to me from Julie Middleton. Julie studied ikebana with me for most of the last 10 years and I can’t remember her ever buying flowers.

She was an expert gardener and used materials from her garden in her ikebana. She also helped others with their garden maintenance and collected flowers and branches from these gardens. I would like you to use materials you pick yourself for this workshop as I have noticed that ikebanists who cut their own materials plan their ikebana ahead and don’t waste the plants.

 Julie had special places to pick if she needed a certain material and you may find that you can do the same. If your neighbour has a branch that you want to use, do ask them first and usually people are happy to share.