Friday Flowers #26~Embracing Imperfection

Hello Friends.

On Saturday I travelled down to the beautiful village of Fulbeck in Lincolnshire, for a workshop hosted by Rie Day, a professor of the Ikenobo school of Ikebana in Kyoto.

Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arrangement, and for over half a century an art chiefly concerned with establishing balance between form and space, and capturing the essence of the materials used in order to display them to their upmost natural beauty.

Much of what was taught was contrary to conventional floristry. It is a sculptural approach, considering form and line, and viewing arrangements from all angles.

Moreover, it fully embraces that notion of ‘natural beauty’. There is no room for selecting the best blooms, or blemish free foliage. Ikebana instead teaches us that imperfection is in itself beautiful, often a part of wider storytelling. A nibbled leaf. A curled petal. A bent stem. These are features to be displayed and celebrated, markers of a life lived.

This put me in mind of another Japanese concept, ‘Wabi-sabi’, which shows us that there is beauty found in imperfection, transience, and incompleteness.

I took great comfort and a sense of hope from this weekend. A reminder that we can celebrate and embrace imperfection, and wear our transience proudly. After all, we’re all just figuring it out as we go aren’t we?

Flowers this week will include the usual small bouquet £15, large bouquets £30, Jam Jars £12.50 and some beautiful 5 stem, mixed peony bunches including the classic Sarah Bernhardt for £16.50.

Usual channels for ordering nicola@nicolagreenbotanica.com or 07714025618 to join my Friday Flowers Club WhatsApp group.

Please feel free to pass on details to friends our family, I’m always look for new members!

Have a lovely week and as always, “Bringing the Outdoors In”.

Thank you.

Nicola