Lines and angles, in right mix

Hold a couple of branches in the vase by angling them against each other to form a cross, writes Hema VijayFree style: Wayside tree branches can be put up at interesting angles in a vase.
The Hindu : Property Plus Chennai : Lines and angles, in right mix

Fancy a freestyle artwork with plant material? In other words - freestyle ikebana.

Just as abstract artists dream in colour and line without a predetermined composition in mind, Venkatesh Sthanusubramanian has worked casually with plant material to arrive at this interesting arrangement.

“I had no specific theme in mind”, says Venkatesh. He started with a tall black container called Nagiere meaning ‘casually thrown in’ in ikebana terms.

Venkatesh snapped off wayside tree branches which curved and zigzagged at interesting angles.

He stuck a couple of the branches in the vase, holding it in place by angling them against each other to form a cross within the vase. Any tree branch would do, provided the branches are slender enough. “For instance, Copsia is a common plant with branches in lines and angles so beautiful that just keeping Copsia branches in a vase looks simply amazing”, Venkatesh says.

Stands out
To complement the branches, Venkatesh put in orange coloured Asia Lily stalks with both flowers and buds. The advantage with going in for a bud-and-flower combination is that you can snip off the flowers when they begin to droop, and in the meantime, the buds start opening up.

This ensures that the freshness of the arrangement endures for a long time. You can substitute the Asia Lilies with vivid flowers like Gerberas or large Ixora bunches.

The focus in this arrangement remains the tree branches. Wood represents aging and maturity in the realm of ikebana and so complements the black vase. Light or white coloured vases will not do here, as these tones resonate with youth, rather than maturity. Any tall, dark-coloured ceramic vase will set off the tree branch effect.