By Martha Keehner Engelke, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County
I enjoy arranging cut flowers. In the winter they usually come from the grocery store, and in the spring and summer I supplement my grocery store finds with blooms from my garden. Most of my efforts center around making an arrangement that doesn’t look too crowded or sparse and complements the vessel I put them in.
Recently, I learned from a friend that arranging flowers in the Japanese culture is considered an art form similar to sculpture and painting. It has a documented history, requires technical expertise that is refined over time, and it is based on long standing theories related to nature.
The author of this text is Shozo Sato. The original version was published in 1965 and is considered to be a classic. The pictures in the book (as well as the picture on the cover) are pasted on top of the pages. It is now out of print but there is an updated version which is listed below under additional reading. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
The earliest practices of Ikebana can be found in the 6th century in China where Buddhist monks placed flowers before the image of Buddha. When Buddhism spread to Japan, Ikebana was also imported. By the 15th century, it was recognized and practiced as an art form in Japan. Today, there are over 3,000 different schools of Ikebana. Some are very traditional and based on religious teachings while others are more flexible and modern. The more I learned about Ikebana, the more I realized how much I didn’t know! I did have an opportunity to learn more about two types: The Mi-sho and Chabana.
Mi-sho Ikebana
Ikebana International (I.I.) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and appreciation of Ikebana. The organization was founded in 1956 and their motto is “Friendship Through Flowers.” They have 140 chapters in 44 countries including one in Durham, North Carolina. In April 2025, the local chapter sponsored a workshop that I attended. It was presented by Keiko Kono who is a master of Mi-sho Ikebana.
This type of Ikebana represents the relationship between Tai (Heaven), Yo (Man) and Toe-meh (Earth). You begin your arrangement with Tai which is placed in the center. It should be twice as high as the container. Then Yo is is cut to about 2/3 the size of Tai and placed at a 60 degree angle. Finally, Toe-meh is about half as long as Tai and is placed at a 45 degree angle. These main flowers form a triangle and the “filler” flowers should be within this triangle.
This illustration drawn by Keiko represents the relationship between Tai, Yo and Toe-meh. Once this basic structure is set, additional flowers can be added to support Tai and Yo. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
All of the flowers are held in a kenzan, a sturdy “frog” made of metal spikes. Before placing the flowers in the kenzan the stems should be cut under water (to preserve freshness) and measured to reflect the dimensions described. Sharp scissors with an acute-angle blade help to cut the stems cleanly without harming the plant. The handles are designed to be gentle on the hands.
Examples of kenzans are seen above. Some pots include a kenzan but do allow space for a small amount of water. The kenzan is made of metal and should be chosen in relation to the container. The containers we used included ceramic or glass vases or bowls and were between 6-9 inches in diameter or length. The scissors have very sharp edges and are kept in a sheath when not in use. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
The 3 main flowers should be somewhat showy and very fresh. Signs of browning or decay need to be cut away. It is also possible to use twigs as one of the main elements. To finish the design it is filled with smaller flowers or greenery.
Keiko carefully measures the elements of her design. The final design is filled in with greenery and smaller flowers (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
Keiko’s favorite are chrysanthemums. The main reason is that they are showy and they last longer than many flowers. While peonies and hydrangeas are beautiful they tend to decompose faster and this violates a major principal of Ikebana: everything must be fresh. The twigs from the cherry blossom tree are also favored because they are very much linked to Japanese culture and their branching pattern is very attractive. Filler greenery that can be used include magnolia leaves and evergreens such as cedars.
The image on the left is the arrangement that I made in class and the arrangement on the right was made by another member of the class. Students used bowls as well as rectangular containers. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
Chabana: Arranging flowers for a Tea House Ceremony
Since 1989, Durham, North Carolina and Toyama, Japan have been designated Sister Cities. The Sister Cities Pavilion at Duke Gardens is a collaboration between these cities. It was dedicated in 2007. I spoke with Michelle Rawlins who provides oversight of the Asiatic Gardens, and she took me on a tour of the tea house.
A small refined garden surrounds the tea house. It is not meant to be flashy but to evoke a sense of peace and a feeling of being connected to nature. During chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony, there are specific rules related to what is in the tea house and how one enters the house. You enter through a very small door to represent humility and equality among the participants. There is a scroll on the wall with Japanese writing that highlights the major themes: Harmony, Respect, Tranquility, and Purity. Chabana is a simple but elegant style of flower arranging for Chanoyu. Cha means tea and bana is taken from the word hana or flower.
Since the main focus is on the tea ceremony, the flowers are unscented and arranged in a specific pattern depending on the season. The flowers should be very fresh and “dewy” with no signs of death or decay. A kenzan is not used and there is little arranging when placing the flowers in the vase. The flowers should be dropped into the vase, and the goal is to evoke a sense of peaceful anticipation.
Chabana uses a more informal approach to arranging the flowers than that described in Mi-Sho. Once they are chosen, they are dropped into the vessel. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
The summer season is from April through November. For summer, the arrangement includes 4 flowering plants and 1 grass. All of the plants are of different colors and shapes. The flowers are not fussy, and they should be light and springlike. Flowers that are good choices for a summer arrangement include salvia, anemone, golden rod, and delphinium. The vessel for the arrangement is also light and airy, and it is common to use a basket as a vase.
For a summer tea ceremony, the flowers include hardy begonia (Begonia grandis), patrinia (Patrinia villosa), veronica (Veronica), fountain grass (Cenchrus) and an iris. The vessel is a open basket and the arrangement is hung on the wall next to the scroll. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
During the winter, the flower arrangement becomes more sparse and and includes one bud and one branch. The container is made of ceramic or another heavy material to evoke a sense of warmth during the colder months.
This winter arrangement includes an iris and spirea branch. The vase is ceramic and hung on the wall in anticipation of the tea ceremony. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)
The Joy of Ikebana
When I began to explore the art of Ikebana, I learned that arranging flowers could be a quiet, meditative practice. It invites you to connect with nature and find beauty not just in the arrangement but in the individual elements. It challenges you not to keep adding flowers to fill a space but to see the space as part of the arrangement and how each flower or branch is connected to each other. It is a deliberate process that cultivates mindfulness, patience, and an appreciation of how just a few flowers can tell a bigger story.
Special thanks to Michelle Rawlins (Duke Gardens), Lu Howard (President of Ikebana Society of Durham) and Keiko Kono (Instructor of Mi-sho Ikebana) for expanding my knowledge of Ikebana. For more information on the programs she provides, Keiko Kono can be contacted at ikebanakeido@gmail.com.
Resources and Additional Information
To learn more about the history of Ikebana as well as other schools and approaches read:
Shozo Sato (2013) Ikebana: The Art of Arranging Flowers (Tuttle Publishing ISBN-10 -4805312662; ISBN-13: 978-4805312667.
Ikebana International provides several publications and conferences during the year to spread knowledge about the art of Ikebana. https://ikebanahq.org/i-i-publication.
This short tutorial gives an overview of making a simple Ikebana arrangement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=2BY_vaWTR_Y&t=221s&ab_channel=ILoveIkeban
If you like to travel and want to see masterpieces of Ikebana, you might need to go to Japan, particularly the area around Kyoto.
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