Presented by the Ohara School of Ikebana Oregon Chapter 

Saturday, October 17th, 2026 / 10:00am – 5:30pm* 
Sunday, October 18th, 2026 / 10:00am – 5:00pm* 

*This show will also be open during Member Hours starting at 9:00am 

The stunning displays of brilliant reds and golds in autumn and ikebana arrangements have two things in common, they are both fleeting. Visit Portland Japanese Garden during our special two-day horticultural exhibition, Impressions of Autumn, presented by Ohara School of Ikebana, Oregon Chapter. Over this October weekend, you’ll be able to appreciate the beauty of both fall in the Garden and ikebana arrangements in the Yanai Classroom in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Learning Arts Center. 

Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, has been translated as “living flowers” or “giving life to flowers,” and is unique from other approaches to flower arrangement.  

Artists from the Ohara School of Ikebana Oregon Chapter look forward to embracing the season and showcasing artistry that will complement the Garden’s atmosphere. Carolyn Alter, Head Teacher of the Ohara School of Ikebana Oregon Chapter, states the artists seek to “bring the essence of nature into their arrangements.”  

About the Ohara School of Ikebana 

The Ohara School of Ikebana emphasizes connecting with nature season by season, utilizing the materials individual character, and arranging it in a naturalistic way. They are known for moribana, which broke with the more traditional and formal vertical styles, creating new horizontal “landscape” arrangements, with flowers “heaped” (moru) in lower plate-like containers.   

About Carolyn Alter 

Carolyn Alter began studying in the Ohara School of Ikebana under Sensei Kitty (Natsue) Akre in 1993. She began teaching weekly classes and founded Wednesday’s Flowers in 2012. She is a long-time member of Portland Japanese Garden, Ikebana International and the North American Ohara Teachers Association. She has attended numerous ikebana conferences in the US and taken classes in Japan, chaired many exhibitions, given numerous demonstrations, and is certified as an Associate First Term Master of the Ohara School of Ikebana. She is also the Head Teacher and Treasurer of the Oregon Chapter of the Ohara School. As a physical therapist for more than thirty years, she appreciates the healing aspects of nature through practicing ikebana. She loves being outdoors, gardening, and the beauty of Japanese culture.