Springtime Ikebana for Children

Spring has come early to Madrid this year, the weather is warm and our spring bulbs have already started flowering. Almond trees are in full bloom and the Prunus in our garden is in full bud, bursting with anticipation.

Materials

This time of year my thoughts are often cast back to the time I lived in Japan. With deep nostalgia, I recall long walks in Mitsuike Koen, the beautiful park close to where I lived in Yokohama. Although the colour pink is often associated with spring, my time in Japan has profoundly influenced the way I view the seasons and, for me, it is the contrasting colours of pink and yellow that are most embolic of springtime.

Placing the Narcissus in the vase

Eager to create a small springtime ikebana arrangement, my youngest daughter chose a delicate, pink glass vase shaped like a cherry blossom. Due to the unusually warm weather, the Narcissus in our garden had already started to flower. My daughter selected a Narcissus flower and cut several daffodil leaves for her arrangement.

Curling the Daffodil leaves

She placed the Narcissus on a kenzan in the vase and curled the leaves around her finger. To secure the leaves in shape, she thread the end though a small slit in the stem. She then placed the curled leaves on the kenzan making sure to create movement and depth.

Adding more leaves for movement and depth.