Fall Ikebana in a Vase Using Quince

Quince is one of the most frequently arranged flowering branches used in ikebana. It can be used throughout the entire year -- when it flowers in the spring and when it bears fruit in the fall. Quince branches spread out wildly in all directions and often crisscross.  It's important to show off these characteristics when arranging it.

I was lucky enough to get a few branches of fruit-bearing quince from my teacher's garden this week. It had a large, green fruit near the bass of the branch, perfect for use in a vase. I arranged the main branch extending out to the right of the vase. I added another branch that extended out to the front, crossing some of the smaller branches of the main branch. Finally, I added a branch that bent down, extending the movement of the quince into the space below the mouth of the vase. I trimmed off almost all of the leaves of the branches, leaving only a few to help direct the eye to the different lines of the quince. I didn't want to detract from the beauty of the quince, so I added a single stem of cockscomb to complete the arrangement.

Fruit-bearing Quince, Cockscomb

I love the vivid red of the cockscomb. The perfect color for a fall arrangement. And the red near the green fruit is a nice contrast.

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