Eye-catching Ikebana ( Flower Arrangements)

Things You Will Need
5 screw-pine (kewda) leaves
1 croton branch
6 to 8 kalanchoe or jatropha flower heads
1 verbena flower head
boat-shaped container , 14-15" long
1 medium sized ( rectangular) pin holder
2 small pin holders
domestic scissors
thread

Material Options Available With Florists
cycas leaves instead of kewda leaves
carnation , chrysanthemum_spell! or rose instead of kalanchoe_spell!
gysophila instead of verbena or croton

Method
1. Take one screw-pine leaf and cut off 3" from the lower portion of the leaf.
   
2. Cut 5-6" off the upper portion of the leaf. Now the leaf is 13" long.
   
3. Cut the upper portion of the leaf to form a v shape.
   
4. Cut the upper half of the leaf to get a zig-zag pattern as shown in the picture.
   
5. Similarly modify the remaining leaves so that they are of different lengths.
6. Place the medium sized and one small pin holder towards the left of the container ( the medium-sized on the left and the small one on right). The place one small pin holder towards the right of the container. Pour water into the container.
   
7. Fix the longest modified screw-pine leaf towards the right back of the medium-sized pin holder.
   
8. Fix one leaf each on either side of the middle leaf (leave a little space at the back of the leaves on the pin holders).
   
9. Fix 2 leaves on the small pin holder.
   
10. Take on kalanchoe flower head. Attach a 1" long piece of thick stem to the lower portion of the kalanchoe stem with thread.
    
11. Fix the flower head as shown. Similarly arrange the reast of the flower heads.
    
12. Fix the verbena at the back of the middle leaf such that the flowers are visible from the front.
    
13. Fix the croton branch behind the first leaf from left as shown in the picture. Your arrangement is ready.