October Arrangement: Pumpkin Patch
Ikebana principles in this month's arrangement:
Jushi or ‘supporting stems’ strengthen the visual impact of the main stems they support, and provide fullness to the arrangement. They can be the same material as the main stems or different. It’s up to you to decide how many jushi are appropriate. There is only one rule for jushi: the jushi must be shorter than the main stem it supports.
Flower Care:
When measuring your materials, add an extra inch to the desired length, then cut off the extra inch while holding the stem under water. Cutting stems under water (in a clean bowl filled with water) lengthens the life of your materials by preventing air pockets from forming in the stems.
Pro tip:
Use two hands to gently bend flexible materials, like the curly willow, into the desired shape.
Point branches, leaves and flowers up, to make your arrangements more dynamic.
Variation:
Simply replace the curly willow with your tree pumpkin stem. Insert in straight up at a 15° angle.
