We love the books put out by Mami Flower Design school, not only because we have visited them all at the school in Tokyo and made great friends there with the talented people and teachers but also because in a harried world these books give us great rest. The work from this school and its publications is always clear, fresh,uncontaminated and natural, despite being clever as one could say... Even if you never copy any of her works. we are sure you will be motivated at the potential each piece suggests .If you are interested in the concept and practice of Natural Flower Supports you cannot go further than MFDS and Keiko Okaedo, one of its leading research designers...in her book she shows us a collection of ways to go about securing materials with natual materials..these secrets of nature she shares . She also makes a strong point that technique is not enough to succeed , what we must all cultivate is, an eye for discovery with the ultimate reality being that we can lead a vivid and charmed life through flowers. Sense and sensitivity, and to quote her..."the more we experience being moved the more beautiful things there are that we are able to be moved by."

One of our most FAVOURITE which has seen us scurry off and look for earlier titles of this stunning approach to working with cut flowers evolved through the philosophies of Keita Kawasaki .From his point of view most plants used in floral design stand naked as it were and vunnerable.(.our description!) once we have determinedly taken them from the the soil that nutures and supports them and then removed their roots so we can do what we wish with them ..in a sense give them an new enviroment and life!. He sensitively readdresses this situation by exploring a variety of seemingly new flower rests as he calls then or flower supports, supports that one presumes have been the foundation of Japanese ikebana traditions for centuries to acheive this. To do so he shows us his arrangements with flowers and leaves, buds and blossoms leaning snugly against crossed twigs, standing strongly amogst a tracery of branches , in split bamboo places, surrounded by fine twigs, ringed in strong leaves, placed at certain angles and balanced in delicately balled root systems soft ,mosses, binding grasses..the examples go on to fufil his title , one hundred forms of Hanakaburi. His ideas and practices are refined and simple and pure in a way we wonder why we dont see more of them being used. There is no claim by him either that that these methods are entirely original but we feel that the point is he is directing our gaze to wards flower arranging in another way showing us, how old methods can be refreshing and worth reviving. Perhaps by following his example we can maintain an extra sensitivity towards our materials which after our working with them allow them to shine in their own natural beauty. The directions are photographically and graphically easy to follow, one doesnt need to be able to read the Japanese text sprinkled here and there. English labelling and headlines are throughout so you wont get lost. Looking through this lovely book is an exercise in observation and will maybe inspire you to follow his examples.