From Lab Architect
BloomLab+
What’s in season, and the vessel it suits.
An ikebana companion for Southern California. See which stems are in bloom or at the market this week, how to care for them, and whether each one belongs in a basket, a tall vase or a shallow dish.
Coming soon to iPhone, iPad and Android
In season, where you live
BloomLab+ starts with Southern California (USDA zone 10). Each stem shows two seasons: when it blooms in the garden or the wild, and when you can find it at the market, with its peak marked. Care notes (mizuage) say how to cut, treat and condition it so it lasts in the vase.
| Stem | When | Vessel it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Camellia tsubaki · 椿 | Winter, Southern California gardens | A single bloom with its leaves in a shallow dish; a short branch in a tall vase |
| Plum blossom branch ume · 梅 | Late winter | A tall vase, where the branch can show its line |
| Ranunculus ranunkyurusu | Spring, from the Carlsbad fields | A shallow dish, grouped low on a kenzan |
| Chrysanthemum kiku · 菊 | Autumn | A basket for a loose, harvest feel; a shallow dish for a tidy mass |
Examples of how the pairings will read, not final data. Every stem in the app is reviewed by Valeria, who teaches in the Sangetsu tradition, before it ships.
Three vessels, one question: what fits?
Every stem is rated for each vessel, with a one-line reason, so you can go from the flower to the container you own.
Kago
籠 · basket
Natural, meadow and harvest looks: grasses, berries, autumn branches and trailing vines.
Nageire
投入 · tall vase
Long stems and branches with a curving line, leaning on the lip of the vase.
Moribana
盛花 · shallow dish
Stems a kenzan can hold, arranged low and wide in a suiban.
Ikeru: plan from the vessel
Pick a vessel, or add your own vases and baskets with their size, and the Ikeru planner suggests in-season stems for it, grouped by role: a line, a mass and a filler. Save the plan, take it to the market, and keep a photo of the finished arrangement in your journal.
My vessels
Your own vases and baskets, with a photo and size, kept on your device.
My garden
Mark what you grow and see when it is ready to cut.
Journal
A dated photo of each arrangement with its stems and vessel, a record of your seasons.
Classes with Valeria
BloomLab+ is curated by Valeria, a Sangetsu ikebana teacher in Southern California. If you would like to learn in person, her classes and workshops are at ikebanalessons.com, and the app links to them.
Free to browse. Premium to plan.
The calendar, every stem’s details and care notes, and the vessel guide are free. Premium adds the Ikeru planner, your vessels, your garden and the journal. Prices are set in the app before you buy.
Monthly
Cancel any time in your App Store or Google Play account.
Yearly
The best value for a full round of seasons.
Planned prices, subject to change before launch. No lifetime purchase.
Not on the stores yet
BloomLab+ is still being built. Questions or ideas for the first release? Write to support@bloomlabplus.com.