If you have done needlepoint work or embroidery, then these mesh sheets might look familiar to you. They have just about the right amount of stiffness to form a rigid base but still pliant enough to be manipulated into a shape we like.
This first arrangemnt is a simple play of lines and circles with painted sticks and gerbera.
This second arrangement has more complexity in colours, mixing up sunflowers and chard (yes, the vegetable!)
I hope you like them. —Miyako
Being halfway around the world, we would never have even dreamed of participating in the Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival! With the pandemic, some of its activities have shifted online and we are honoured to play a part this year! We'd like to thank Dr. Shoso Simbo, Shoan Lo and the rest of the organizers for accepting us to this year's event.
Hanadayori: Ikebana By Request is part of the Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival.
“Hanadayori is a unique ikebana exhibition which directly connects ikebana artists with a wide audience. It aims to introduce two way interaction, from the audience to artists and from artists to the audience. This approach makes it possible for ikebana artists to find out what people really want from ikebana. It is a challenging but rewarding experience to create artworks based on requests from strangers.
This project not only connects ikebana artists with people all over the world, but in a world where the pandemic is causing so much suffering, these small connections though flowers might help to bring some joy and healing.” (from the Hanadayori 2021 website)
The request we received was from Hyderabad, India. It was for an arrangement with 4 colours.
Please enjoy the full exhibition here!
If you have been dreaming of growing a Japanese cherry blossom tree in your yard, this is your chance!
In collaboration with Maple Grove Nursery (Annapolis Valley NS), we are bringing sakura trees to Halifax! This is a one-day pop-up sale event so please save the date: Sep 4th, 2021, Saturday, 12:00-4:00 pm.
There will be several varieties to choose from. The folks from Maple Grove Nursery will be there to answer your questions and give advice to grow & maintain your trees.
All sales will be transacted directly with Maple Grove Nursery. Cash, Visa, MasterCard and e-transfer payments accepted. Sorry, no debit cards. Prices are subject to HST. Pricing can be seen in their website. Availability is subject to change without prior notice
The trees are grown in Ellepots. They are soilless media wrapped in a fully biodegradable and plantable paper membrane. The major advantages of plants grown this way are:
Absolutely no root bound plants or root circling as with plants grown in pots.
No root disturbance or transplant shock when planted.
Easy to plant.
If planted in the growing season, the plant will go into active growth immediately.
Environmentally friendly and fully sustainable production.
No plastic pot to deal with. (The only plastic used in production are the air pruning trays, which can be used hundreds of times and never leave the nursery.)
(Image courtesy of Maple Grove Nursery.)
(Image courtesy of Maple Grove Nursery.)
To answer some of the questions that you may want to ask….
Q: Will the sakura trees survive the NS climate?
A: Yes! Have you seen the beautiful sakura in the Dartmouth Commons?
Q: When will the sakura bloom?
A: Young trees will bloom in the spring and each spring thereafter, more & more blooms will come as the tree grows. Blooming season in NS is around mid-May.
Q: When should the tree be planted?
A: If you purchase a tree at the the pop-up, please plant them on the same or next day. In general, autumn is the best time to plant the tree.
Q: How do we take care of the tree? *
A: Supplying water to new plantings and fertilizing in the spring are very important. (There will be fertilizer available for sale as well at the Pop-Up event.) Cherry blossom trees also respond very well to pruning. Also, protect them from deer who might want nibble on them!
Q: ….and in the winter? *
A: Stake the tree. Keep the roots hydrated leading up to freeze up.
Q: Can the tree be used for bonsai?
A: Yes, but the sakura are grafted and from experience, most bonsai growers do not like that.
*Maple Grove Nursery will be happy to provide on-going support to help gardeners grow their sakura trees.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Updated Sep 4, 2021
What a great turnout! The trees were sold out by 2 p.m. We thank everyone who came. We hope your trees grow strong with beautiful blooms! We apologize to those who could not find what they were looking for (because we sold out very quickly!) Please contact Maple Grove Nursery directly; they have lots more at the farm! Last but not least, thank you Michelle for taking the time and effort to bring your lovely sakura trees to Halifax!
Our Zoom ikebana presentation for the St. Mary’s University Japanese culture class last Sept, 2020 is featured in the August 2021 edition of "Sō" (「草」) magazine, the official publication of the Sogetsu Teachers' Association.
This antique marbly vase has colourful patterns. We matched them with yellow alstroemeria and pink roses!
I hope you like it. —Miyako
Garlic scapes are the soft stems and flower buds of the hardneck garlic plant. At first they grow straight but then later curl up into coils. They are edible and are very good in a stir-fry dish! We saw packets of garlic scapes in the supermarket and immediately the curling stems drew our attention. Definitely ikebana material!
We matched it with some wide-leaf weeds from the backyard. We also added a splash of orange paint on the leaves.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. —Miyako
This delightful vase, small and round, fits in the palm of your hand. It was made by Halifax pottery artist, Mindy Moore. Keeping everything local, we worked with plants that naturally grow out here in Nova Scotia!
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. —Miyako
We are very grateful to the businesses/organizations who took us up on our offer for this little project! Some were close friends and some were completely new discoveries (very happy to get to know you!)
You may have seen some of them in our social media posts; but here are the arrangements all in one place for you to enjoy!
The Aninga Project is a Canadian Charity based in Halifax that works to educate and empower young women in East Africa. They currently have over 60 girls and young women in school in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. All fundraising are done here in Canada to maintain volunteer teams in each country.
The arrangement is inspired by the smooth vertical orientation and colours of the logo. Having learned that Uganda and Kenya both are big producers of roses, we made it a point to use roses. Doesn’t the orange rose look like it is reading a book?
Chebucto Links is a non-profit community outreach association in Halifax NS. Their mission is to support senior citizens by promoting healthy, active living through social and recreational activities. They are also a valuable source of information and assistance for the senior community.
The inspiration for this arrangement is their logo with 3 persons together. 3 vases were used with peonies in different stages of bloom. We also used some native Nova Scotia Solomon Seals in the back. Solomon, the wise king, full of wisdom just like our elders!
「道楽」”Doraku” in Japanese could mean a hobby or a pleasurable activity. The folks at Doraku Restaurant certainly enjoy Japanese cooking! They are one of the pioneers of authentic Japanese cuisine in Halifax.
Does this arrangement remind you of a sumptuous Japanese meal? …with the maneki neko lucky cat looking on!
Run by blade sharpening master extraordinaire, Peter Nowlan. He has convenient knife dropoff/pickup points at Getaway Farms at the Hydrostone and at our shop! (Learn more about the service here.) Many professional chefs send their beloved knives to him for regular TLC. As well, he makes biweekly trips to the Annapolis Valley at Larchwood Wolfville to service folks out there too!
In this arrangement, apple blossoms and fruit! The huge stone behind the knife reminds us of a whetstone.
No Restrictions Apparel is a new company established in 2020. Yes, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It advocates for the promotion of mental health as something as important as physical health. With already a strong following in the powerlifting community, the company aims to bring its message of this “can-do” mindset to a broader audience. Set no limits. Set no restrictions. We all can be better!
A thick, corkscrewing branch was used to project the image of the ferocious snake, culminating in the defiant scream in the end. The strong sinews of the branch blends in harmony with the gentle peony blooms.
The ship’s mug is one of pottery artist, Sally Ravindra’s signature items. It is designed to not topple over as it sits on a ship that’s being rocked back and forth by rough seas. It is a perfect representation of the Maritimes!
So we put this arrangement on an incline just to show how steady the mug is. A cyclamen bloom, dracena leaves and a local lupin branch seem to fly out to show us the direction of the wave!
Minako Kay brought her expertise in Japanese acupuncture to Halifax from Sapporo, Japan. The focus of her practice is to bring health and wellness to her patients through natural healing, by helping enhance the flow of positive energy.
We specifically looked for vines that match the ivy crest logo and incorporated that into a soothing and relaxing arrangement.
Trinity is a 4th generation florist. Her great-grandfather started growing and selling flowers way back in 1922! Trinity’s Florals is based in North Sydney, Cape Breton, NS, specializing in arrangements for weddings, graduations, and other special events.
Most striking is the beautiful fern on the logo! It felt like Trinity’s Florals is the kind of florist that would love using local material for their creations; so we decided to use all local plants with this arrangement: fern (of course!), lupins and forsythia branches. And as a nod to the wedding business, we snuck in the lid of the container with a dove sitting on top!
Red and white—the colours of the flag of Canada. For this arrangement, gorgeous white peonies and bright red weigela!
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. —Miyako
With the pandemic restrictions in place, my husband could not go to the dojo (training hall) to practice karate and so he has been training at home. I got to see his “moves” which inspired me to apply the movement in an ikebana arrangement.
This is a depiction of a technique called “manji-uke”. Pine branches and rugged tree roots were used to show strength and indomitable spirit.
Here is the whole arrangement.
And for those who are not familiar with “manji-uke”, here is an image to help you!
I hope you like it. —Miyako
