286 



WIiYBOW GARDENING. 



In our country flowers are chiefly regarded as accessories, while in France and 

 Germany there is no family fete without its graceful door wreaths, its garlanded 

 picture frames, and its coronals of flowers ; and not a toilette without its appro- 

 priate flower jjarwre 



In arranging flowers it is well to bear in mind the laws of worsted work, and 

 when we desire to adorn our rooms with flowers we should consider the " ground- 

 ing" to be prepared for them, as if it were a cushion. 



White is often the chief ground work of a wreath, bouquet, or vase, yet it 



greatly impoverishes the other 

 colors, and renders a brilliant 

 assortment of flowers trivial, if 

 little dabs of white are scattered 

 all over them — yet if used as an 

 outer edghig it will heighten their 

 colors, and in a bouquet, vase, or 

 wreath of delicate, pale shades, it 

 tends to make their colors more 

 distinct. 



Passion flowers are peculiarly 

 lovely when arranged with pale 

 pink roses, etc., but if white 

 flowers are mingled with them, 

 the efiect is not pleasing. 



Rose color and pale blue are 

 exquisite when mingled ; white 

 lilac or mauve with primrose ; 

 dark blue and brilliant scarlet; 

 cerise or cherry and white ; dark 

 purple and primrose, blue, white 

 and rose color. 



The shade of green should, as a 

 general rule, harmonize with the 

 natural foHage of the flowers ; if 

 this is disregarded it will tend 

 Fig -ii \ i- ..t ( ut Howeis. to overpower instead of increas- 



ing the brightness of the flowers. Very dark green looks well with only 

 large, pure-tinted heavy flowers, like Roses, Camellias, Dahlies, etc., although 

 it will look well with white flowers of finer structure, if their texture is thick 

 and waxen and especially with wild flowers of the spring. Thin, yellowish green 

 foliage would ruin the Camellia, which needs the intense dark color of its own 

 leaves to show forth its statuesque beauty and elegance. 



Indeed, the use of thin, quickly fading green sprays will injure all floral ar- 

 rangements ; and young leaves of all kinds droop soon ; while older, thicker foli- 

 age will last a long time. The leaves of the scarlet geranium preserve many 



