186 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



dozen really good flowers inserted in this— and the pointed stems would puss as 

 readily into it as into the sand— would afford a charming effect ; and with a kw 

 bits of graceful ferns to counteract the lumpy appearance of the moss, it could not 

 fail to be admired. The Lycopod would look well for a long time, and when it faded 

 or became dusty, others could be introduced from the stock so readily propagated. 

 The dishes should have a hole in the bottom for the water to escape into an outer 

 case. Of course this is quite inapplicable to costly, tall, or elegant narrow vases, 

 but it would suit to a nicety low dishes for roses or'any other flowers ; and such are 

 the most useful for general purposes, as by their judicious use you see the beauty of 

 the floAvers, and that alone— Avhich is generally a gain. For the tall vases we have 

 often used sand ; but where they are too fragile or expensive to risk breakage by 

 filling them with heavy material, it is better to cut a bunch of some kind of spray 

 —say box, yew, or any small-leavei plant— and trimming it off", put it in the vase, 

 so that its top is about level with that of the vase, and on that surface the flowers 

 may be inserted thinly and firmly as you please, and the necessity of making a tight 

 bundle of flowers is done away with. 



From the above it will be seen that we have a horror of the bundling system. 

 Every flower should stand distinct in the arrangement, and it is also very desirable 

 to avoid the crowding in of too many colours into the one vase or dish. A few 

 simple flovv-ers, carefully selected from the woods or ditches— say the hawthorn, the 

 forget-me-not, the wild grasses, the meadow sweet, the marsh marigold, etc.,— a 

 select few, observe, not too many kinds, and well arranged — will produce a better 

 effect than all the flowers and colours of the garden lumped together. Quiet sweet 

 things, like mignonette, may be used in abundance as a sort of groundwork for the 

 display of brighter flowers ; and why not bunches of it for insertion into the necks 

 of vases as well as the evergreen spray we named above ? Decided colours should 

 generally be grouped distinct from those of a quiet tone ; but so varied are the forms 

 and colours of the flowers of our gardens, that it would be folly to be tied by any 

 rule except this : Place the blooms thinly, and in the midst of refreshing verdure, as 

 Nature does ; the brighter the colour, the more green should, as a rule, be employed. 

 The procuring, or rather the selecting, of this green is an important point. Ferns of 

 many kinds are valuable, but many other plants are equally so. Of the ferns, the 

 apex of the fronds of the common male fern are highly suited for dressing the 

 margins of large vases, dishes, etc. ; while for more delicate work there are innu- 

 merable kinds in the way of the maidenhair, and, in fact, every elegant fern may be 

 used. Where there is much decoration of this kind to be done, it is well to grow a 

 few of the most suitable kinds in some quantity for cutting at all seasons ; but, 

 generally, the spray cf the more elegant conifers, such as Cupresses nootkj^nsis and 

 others, the Arbor-vitses, the neat and pretty new Retinosporas, and, in fact, many 

 things in this way will be found most valuable. They last much longer, are to be 

 had in a fresh and green state at all seasons, and often furnish quite as graceful an 

 effect as the ferns. Some of the better Lycopodiums, too, or Selaginellas, as they 

 are called, are among the very best things that can be used, and in a warm place 

 grow as freely as weeds. Finally', the selecting of the flowers and the cutting of 

 thein is worth a thought. The right way to do it is to gather a few suitable kinds in 

 distinct little bundles — whether fern, foliage, or flowers— and then, when placed on a 

 table, the arranger has simply to take the flower or frond he wants — a thing not 

 easy when all are gathered in a promiscuous bundle. Another word, fail not to use 

 the Fuchsia and other pendulous flowers for drooping over the margins of all but 

 the lowest dishes, if you want to produce a charming effect. 



Since writing the above we have seen large, very large vases, and very expensive 

 too (6003 and 7000 francs apiece), in Paris houses, filled tastefully with flowers— a 

 capital medium for the insertion of the stem being found in rich flakes of deep moss, 

 a layer well moistened being put in the bottom of the vase, and over that another 

 layer with only its natural moisture. The flakes of thick moss are placed in just as 

 they grow, and thus the flower stems pass down into them with the greatest ease. 

 It must, however, not be supposed from this hint that the French always arrtmge 

 flowers well ; they do rooms, etc., for festive occasions charmingly, but bouquets are 

 far more tastefully and beautifully done in Covent Garden. The other day a French 

 countess presented to Mdlle. Patti a bouquet about the size of a sponging bath ; if 

 any lady took it about with her it must be in a refined sort of wheelbarrow ; and 

 many of the best bouquets to be bought in Paris display no taste or knowledge of 

 arranging flowers. — The Field. 



