Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) and double tulip.
Early summer brings an abundance of flowering plants to enjoy. The joy and enthusiasm results in more luscious ikebana arrangements than in other seasons. One of my favorite early summer flower is the Lilac. With it's characteristic fragrance it is a classic garden tree. The Lilac grows wild in parts of Europe. As a garden tree it survives the winter even in the mountain areas of Sweden where I grew up.
In the Lilac arrangements in this blog post I have worked with colour compositions, combining different shades of pale purple Lilac with deeper purple in the glass containers. In the first arrangement I have also added a very flamboyant double tulip, bringing more nuances of red into the composition. Using a broader section of the colour wheel gives a more complex arrangement. The red also contrasts well with the green Lilac leaves since red and green are complentary colours (on opposite sides of the colour wheel). The use of complementary colours enhances the red even more and gives the arrangement a vibrant energy.
In this second arrangement I have used some left over branches for a more simplified and calming arrangement, using a more reduced section of the colour wheel and leaving out the contrast of complimentary colours. This arrangement instead makes use of water surface to deepen the sense of colour and add freshness.
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Swedish glass bowl
The season for Lilac is short when the warm weather is exploding. It's already over for this time. Flowering trees truly is a joy of the moment, helping us stop up and enjoy life.
