One of the most difficult materials for me to arrange is pyracantha berries. I’m not quite sure why, maybe it’s the long branches loaded with berries, leaves and thorns. The leaves usually have to go, and it’s a long process to take them off one by one being careful not to take the berries off also. The thorns are treacherous, and must be removed also. I really had not intended to use pyracantha berries today, but coming across them on a walk I was instantly drawn to them. There was also some white September clematis growing on them, and the combination seeming to really work well together so I cut both to use. The September clematis was in full bloom, I don’t think I have ever seen it so beautiful. I brought it all home and removed leaves, and thorns and began to arrange them. Using the whole stem proved quite frustrating, they either seemed to sparse or I had too many branches together and after many tries I removed them altogether. It seemed better to begin with the clemtis which I massed togeteher and draped down the container. I grabbed a kiwi branch to give some space and line to the design, and then I cut the branches of pyracantha berries into sections to mass on the side as an accent to the white clematis. The lesson for today: “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”.