The Art of Ikebana

The Southbury Garden Club will kick off their 2015 season on Friday March 6th at the Southbury Public Library. The program will feature noted designer Pat McNelis speaking about Ikebana.

Ikebana is more than simply putting flowers in a container. It is a developed art form in which the arrangement is a living thing where nature and humanity are brought together. It is steeped in the philosophy of a closeness with nature.

After ten years of teaching in Tokyo, Pat she returned to the US where she conducts workshops and demonstrations in the art of Japanese flower arranging for a wide variety of audiences. She is a member of the Ichiyo School of Ikebana Instructors’ Association in Tokyo; the New Jersey Ichiyo Chapter of Instructors, and the New York chapter of Ikebana International.

Interested local residents are invited to attend the program, but pre-registration is required. Please call Cheryl Smith on 781-789-1653 for full details. Although there is no set charge for the program, donations are greatly appreciated. They go to the club’s annual scholarship which is awarded to a Southbury resident who is enrolled in an accredited college program with a major in horticulture or a related subject.

The club will hold a business meeting at noon, followed by light refreshments. Ms. McNelis’ hour long program will begin at 1:30 p.m.