CUT FLOWERS 161 



a few from each. In this simple way the colour scheme of 

 the border is not spoilt. One usually cuts blooms or 

 spikes from the outside of the plant so that the size of a 

 given patch of colour is reduced a little, and not done 

 away with completely. 



If, however, a very large quantity of flowers in variety 

 is wanted, do not hesitate to cut the whole lot on each 

 plant in the colour border ; for in a few days the border 

 will be a lovely colour picture once more. But beware of 

 leaving two or three stray blooms on each clump " for 

 grace " as the expression is. Better have them all off, for 

 then all new blooms thrown up will be of a more or less 

 uniform height. 



Vases and Greenery : When the flowers have been cut 

 it is well to put them in water at once, and the vases or 

 bowls should be appropriate in size and shape to the 

 various flowers. 



For instance, long spikes of lupins look ridiculous as 

 well as ugly if put into tiny vases, or jars three or four 

 inches high. They want tall, rather substantial vases, 

 so that their stems can be let into the water at least 

 6 ins. On the other hand, roses and other short-stemmed 

 flowers look equally out of place in tall vases 12-18 ins. 

 high. They look " lost " as a friend once said to me. 

 Short-stemmed large blooming flowers look best in dwarf 

 vases, or better still in shallow flower bowls. 



Some gardeners have a taste for putting a green foliage 

 amongst the flowers for use in vases in the home, or they 

 deck up a bunch of flowers to be given away, with a similar 

 lot of foliage. For my own part I am not so keen on 

 greenery. " A bit of green " is all right, indeed it some- 

 times looks very well. But I am a great believer in the 

 flowers themselves, unadorned, or rather shall I say 

 ungarnished. To my mind greenery detracts considerably 

 from the pure loveliness and simplicity of individual 

 flowers, and nothing I think looks so unnatural as flowers 

 practically smothered in a vase with greenery. I always 

 ask, " Are not flowers beautiful enough alone ? " I 



M 



