Today, I decided to get my hands dirty and try something I’ve been meaning to do for ages – flower arranging, specifically, the “flower ikebana kenzo” style. I’ve seen those gorgeous, minimalist arrangements, and I was like, “I wanna do that!”
So, first things first, I gathered my materials. I didn’t have any fancy ikebana gear, so I just used what I had around the house:
- Some flowers from my garden (and maybe a few I “borrowed” from my neighbor… shhh!).
- A shallow bowl that looked kind of Japanese-ish.
- A pair of regular kitchen scissors. (I know, I know, not ideal, but hey, gotta work with what you’ve got!)
- Some pebbles I found outside to help hold the stems.
Getting Started (and Getting Confused)
Then, I watched like a dozen videos, and it was hard work, but I made it!
I started by filling the bowl with water and placing the pebbles in it. The idea is that these pebbles would act like a natural “kenzan” (that spiky thing they use in real ikebana). I quickly realized I’m no expert. Positioning the first flower was… a challenge. It kept flopping over.
I fiddled with it for a good while, trying to get it to stand upright at a slight angle, like I’d seen in the pictures. More pebbles, less pebbles, different angles… it was a whole process. Finally, I managed to get it to stay put, more or less.
Building the Arrangement (and Improvising)
Next, I added a second, shorter flower. This one was supposed to be placed in front of the first, creating a sense of depth. Okay, I could kind of see that happening. I trimmed the stem to make it the right height, and after a few more attempts, I got it positioned where I wanted it.
The “kenzo” part, from what I understood, is about using fewer elements, keeping it clean and simple. So, I decided to add just one more element – a leafy branch I’d snipped from a bush. This was the trickiest part! The branch was all wonky, and I had to bend and trim it quite a bit to get it to look right. It took some patience, and maybe a little bit of luck, but I finally got it to complement the flowers.
The Final Result (and My Thoughts)
I stepped back to admire my handiwork. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. It definitely didn’t look like those professional arrangements, but you know what? I was pretty proud of it! It was simple, elegant in its own way, and it brought a little bit of nature indoors.
It was a fun experiment, and it definitely made me appreciate the skill and artistry that goes into real ikebana. I might even invest in a real kenzan and some proper tools. Or, at the very least, I’ll stop using kitchen scissors. Maybe.
