visiting the national arboretum full of delights

tulip beds were done in orange!

a passing red bearded fellow caught our eye

ikebana arranged in three trays

ikebana includes wood with massive volume & texture

deep pink camellias blooming outside in the woods

a huge number of fresh camellia blooms sorted labeled for the show

orange sogetsu ikebana freestyle arrangement was built with copper sheeting bent into light catching shapes

Keith taking in the show and making pictures

Japanese tokonoma (alcove) at the museum, showing how the Japanese display art and flowers and sometimes bonsai or viewing rocks in their homes was the first arrangement in the ikebana show.

a corner of the Japanese garden path

Japanese style bonsai each about two and a half feet tall

popular pass time is feeding the hungry koi, they never seem to get enough

bonsai gardens gate

Saturday we went to the ikebana international exhibition at the National Arboretum, we love to go this time of year. It was also the annual camellia show and there were lots of folks there to see Bonsai trees and azaleas in the forest and the early woodland wild flowers on the native plants trail. It was a great day cool and clear and just right for viewing everything but we only made it through the Ikebana, Bonsai, display garden and finally the Camellia show on this trip. Those filled our heads and our cameras with colorful images to last a while. Our stomachs said let's eat and that is one thing missing at the arboretum, so we came home and made lunch and enjoyed it in our own gardens which are lovely too.

I will be putting my new images on my flickr page in a set of the ikebana show and arboretum visit. The ikebana show continues for two more weeks changing exhibits each week on Thursdays.

ikebana international

I am happy to say that this past Saturday after a couple months of feeling an almost constant state of stress eminating from across the room I went to see the Ikebana International Chapter One's show at the Bonsai Museum in the National Arboretum. My partner was the organizer and this was his first chance to organize an exhibition. As you can see in my 2 snap shots above, and 25 more here,  everything worked out quite well for this first group of arrangements.  The show opened  Friday 4/11 and continues until 4/20 next Sunday and will have a second and third set of  new arrangements installed this week. Saturday afternoon we attended a demonstration of Ikenobo Ikebana school style that is one I have always admired, everyone was very excited to see these lovely arrangements take shape. These exhibitions are kind of a well kept secret as are the teachers and the schools that are all over the world. In 1956 Washington DC  became Ikebana International Chapter One because this is the very first place the Japanese began allowing the ancient art to be taught outside of Japan.