To help usher in spring, a couple of weeks ago, I created a spring landscape using Japanese cornel. It was arranged in the Traditional Method in the Landscape Arrangement form -- meaning a prescribed way to arrange the materials to express the beauty of a natural scene.
To create the natural scene, I have, in a way, created a sketch of the scene in the limited space of the suiban.
Japanese cornel grows to be a towering tree, so the rules prescribed say I have to do the arrangement in the Far-View Depiction. For this method, I arrange the Japanese cornel in the one-tree method, making it look as if all of the branches are a large tree seen off in the distance.
To help balance the scale depiction, small budding azalea branches are used low in the front of the container, and a few taller branches next to the base of the Japanese cornel. They should appear small in contrast to the towering tree.
Finally, a material is used to establish the undergrowth of the scene. In a far-view depiction, club moss is used. The moss is arranged in small clumps and covers about 3/4 of the surface of the suiban. It is still the beginning of spring, so only a small amount of water is showcased in the container.
When all of the above elements are combined, a little piece of nature is captured in the confined space of the suiban. The budding tree and budding azalea help to usher in spring and all of her beauty.
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| Japanese cornel, azalea, club moss Far View, Upright Style |
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| The club moss covers about 3/4 of the surface of the container, and the azalea are used low and small to help create the look of a grand tree. I also took off some of the buds of azalea because there were too many for this early in the spring. |
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| When viewed from the side, you can see the "tree trunk" in the center of the Japanese cornel branches. |
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| A natural scene captured in the confined space of the suiban. |
As always, please feel free to leave comments or questions in the comment section.
