Who is Ellen Gordon Allen and why does the arboretum have a garden dedicated to her?
Ellen Gordon Allen, who grew up in Washington, D.C., learned ikebana in the 1950s while living in Japan with her husband, General Frank Allen. She was captivated by the philosophical and aesthetic elements of ikebana that stressed harmonic relationships. Mrs. Allen earned her Teachers Certificate from the Ohara School and began teaching ikebana. She turned her mimeographed lessons into a small book, Japanese Flower Arrangement: A Complete Primer, which saw a number of printings. As she taught, she became determined to share her passion for this traditional art form throughout the world. In 1956, she worked with ikebana school masters in Tokyo to found Ikebana International. She dreamed of spreading the practice of ikebana, believing that its principles would help foster greater world peace. She stated the organization’s motto as “Friendship through Flowers.” Mrs. Allen returned to Washington, D.C., and helped found Chapter No. 1. The garden at the arboretum was dedicated to her as the
