The way of flowers in Addis Abeba

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The way of flowers Addis Ababa

The way of flowers in Addis Abeba

October 21, 2020
Categories: EN, Ikebana, Put cvijeća, The way of flowers
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Ikebana has, among other things, given me wonderful opportunities to meet new people and experience new places. I have been so lucky to be able to travel to attend ikebana workshops in different places. I have been also lucky to be able to share ikebana wherever I go.

This time, a chance has led me to a city with a beautiful name Addis Ababa which means “a new flower”. The name is written like this አዲስ አበባ in the Ethiopian script (Fidel).

At the moment there is COVID-19 pandemic in the world. It has been restricting our lives since March. That means also that we have to spend some time in quarantine, especially if we want to travel. After I arrived in Addis I had to spend a week in quarantine. Luckily, I was able to stay in a house with a small, but beautiful garden.

Making ikebana is a natural thing to do when in quarantine. However, without vases one has to use the containers that are available, or to make new once.

The following is a series of ikebanas made during my week in confinement.

“I see you”, the first arrangement in Addis. A lower part of a plastic bottle serves as a beautiful container for this butterfly iris.
Ikebana: dry vine branches and leaves
“African sunset” There is a vine in the garden where I stay. It is quite dry, so my husband decided to remove dry branches. I collected them in a pile – ready to be used in ikebana. Here, there is a combination of dry vine branches, dry vine leaves and bougainvillea in a plastic bottle.
The way of flowers Addis Ababa
“Welcome!” A plastic part that is used in a refrigerator makes a wonderful low vase. It is transparent, so it is important to cover kenzan with a leave. Yes, I took two kenzans with me from Norway.
  • The way of flowers Addis Ababa
“Cheers!” An empty wine bottle is another available container. A dry vine branch, with a green vine branch – to symbolise optimism and a white rose.
  • The way of flowers Addis Ababa
“A windy day in Addis” A pen holder is another possibility to use as a container. Here I used dried leaves of silky oaks that grow in front of the house. I have never worked with this tree sort before – so I am very excited. I am using only dry branches, though, because I do not want to cut these beautiful branches. The accent in the arrangement is made by a single orange lilly.

If you want to learn more about ikebana, buy my book Ikebana-the way of flowers.