Summer Ikebana for Children

This month children in Spain have commenced their very long summer vacation. To kick-off school holidays we decided to visit the Real Jardín Botánicoto to see the exhibition “La Risa de las Flores” (The Laughter of Flowers). My daughters were both mesmerised by the work of AZUMA Makoto, one of my favourite botanical artists.

Materials

Inspired by his current series of work for Dior, as well as his underwater arrangements, my daughters decided that they would like to create ikebana arrangements in water.

Removing some of the petals

They each arranged sunflowers in a glass vase and filled it with water. To create continuity and movement between the vases, they added variegated Liriope.

Arranging the Sunflowers in water

They were both surprised at the optical illusion created by the water, distorting the shape of the sunflowers and decided to play on this further by adjusting the placement of their vases.

Adding the final touch