A single stem of white gladiolus came into the living room! While many people imagine large and elaborate arrangements when they think of gladiolus, its unique form actually fits beautifully into simple, daily life. To discover its different expressions, I tried two types of minimalist stylings.

Styling the Natural Height with Warm and Cool Accents

The first styling focuses on the natural height of the gladiolus. The stem is placed at an angle inside a Japanese ceramic Soba-tsuyu pitcher. To support the base, three orange roses are placed together. Their heights and directions are slightly shifted to create a natural depth. Green leaves fill the space around them, and a small touch of light blue delphinium is added. Although the vessel is traditional Japanese tableware, the combination of bright orange and blue creates a lively and modern atmosphere. For the fourth photograph, a different version was arranged on a side shelf. A woven basket, a traditional lantern, and a mesh mat were placed together to create a quiet Japanese mood.

A Minimal Composition with Three Stems

The second styling was made a few days later. The upper parts of the gladiolus began to fade, so the damaged sections were completely cut away. The arrangement changed from a tall display to a low and compact composition. This styling uses only three stems in total: the remaining white gladiolus and two stems of blue star. The vessel is a smart pitcher with a narrow opening and a smooth texture. It has a single, subtle color, but because it is earthenware, it shows delicate shifts in tone. Sometimes it looks faintly pink or slightly bluish depending on how it catches the light. It does not stand out on its own, but it becomes very special when combined with the flowers.

I found this unique pitcher at the Kasama Pottery Festival recently. Although the location is close enough for a day trip with a five-hour stay, I chose to spend two full days there and stayed overnight. The festival is large, with more than 200 individual workshops displaying their items. Looking for vessels specifically meant for flowers, rather than everyday dinnerware, proved to be a difficult task. It took a different kind of focus to imagine how flowers or greenery would fit inside each vessel. Taking two days gave me enough time to notice the subtle quality of this piece.

I hope your space brings you a little extra joy today.

-mizu