THE KNACK OF 



for bouquets, by themselves, but I can not 

 think of any flower that can be used with them 

 without seriously detracting from their beauty. 

 It is the same with Nasturtiums and Pansies. 

 Put them in the same vase and the effect is 

 positively painful to the eye that is sensitive 

 to artistic effect. 



If I were to arrange a vase of Sweet Peas for 

 the table, I would go into the garden and cut 

 the flowers with the longest possible stems. I 

 would bunch them lightly in my hand as I cut 

 them, v^thout trying to produce an effect at 

 this stage of proceedings. The effect is to 

 come later. I would not cut more than a dozen 

 clusters unless the vase I intended to make 

 use of was a large one. Then I would drop 

 them into the vase, give it a little shake, and lo ! 

 the blossoms have arranged themselves far 

 more satisfactorily, far more artistically, than 

 I could have done it if I had put them delib- 

 erately together, because they have disposed 

 themselves simply and naturally. 



Formality and artificiality in the making of 

 bouquets are fatal to artistic work because 

 they are the opposites of simplicity and nat- 

 uralness. Remember that. Prove the truth 

 of it by experimenting. 



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