The Ikebana Garden

The Ikebana Garden

Wouldn’t it be ideal to grow beautiful flowers and branches in one’s own garden which can be used in our ikebana arrangements? Of course, if you have a garden, you would occasionally do so, but would it be possible to plant more suitable material and plenty of it? This is a vast subject and also a real hornet’s nest. Much depends on the growing conditions of our living area, of the amount of land available, of what we want to do in our arrangements and our experience of growing special plants.



I can only start this page as a possible forum for discussion and perhaps as an inspiration, but I am sure that the experience of many others is far more valuable than my limited adventures. The photographs show my Japanese style garden, which by no means is a good start. I have a moderately small plot and the plants that look good in it are rarely useful for ikebana. I love old fashioned scented roses which are happy in my front garden, but often have short (and very prickly) stems. Some of the tall lavenders are a summer’s day bliss but not really suitable material for arranging.

Admittedly, some of the plants are ‘neither use nor ornament’: I really should clear the patch of Chelone obliqua and replace them with for instance foxtail lilies (Eremurus). A patch of very invasive lowish bamboo, Pleioblastus variegatus, would look better when replanted with the lower and friendlier and ‘ikebanable’ Sasa veitchii minor.

If I would make a list of plants that I would like to grow, this page would be very long indeed. There is the wish (euphemism for strong desire) to grow a small needled pine, another Japanese maple (I already have two), a tree peony, a Nelumbo (white lotus), Celastrus orientalis (oriental bittersweet), a large Prunus mume (where would one buy one?), several Camellia’s (Camellia sasanqua!), a tall Cydonia etc. etc.

Then, there is the fact that some plants are quite small and although gorgeous in ikebana, grow at a rather slow rate. My Nandina domestica is a fine specimen but I would prefer it to be much taller and wider in order to withstand my constant plucking at it…… Shall I try and find space for another two?

Some of the Irises I grow are not traditionally found in Japanese ikebana: Iris germanica and Iris siberica will look good in Shoka shimputai and Jiyuka , but I hope that the white Iris ensata I planted in my pond last year will survive this dreadful winter and provide me with some beautiful flowers and leaves for a classical Shoka shofutai in late spring.

I shouldn’t complain though, there is plenty to enjoy: I love, and use Anemone x japonica (Honorine Jobert), bright yellow Hemerocallis, branches of Azalea japonica, Bletilla striata (an orchid), Solidago, Hakonechloa (a Japanese grass), Phylostachys aurea (a bamboo), Pinus mugo, Crocosmia, Hesperis matronalis (seedpods), Rodgersia, Heuchera, Sagittaria, Scirpus and Lespedeza thunbergii……. Plenty of challenges!

To be continued………………….

I planted a small tree in the front garden this May ( 2010). It is only a baby and I could not resist tying a piece of paper on a branch to wish it well and a long and happy life! Its name is Eriobotrya japonica(loquat tree) and as soon as I read in a gardening magazine it is hardy until minus10 degrees centigrade and grows to only 3-4 meters , I thought I would give it a go. The leaves are frequently used in Rikka(oba) and this was not the last reason why I decided to plant it.