2 BRITISH FLORAL DECORATION 



study and faithfully follow; she will then never 

 fail to solve every problem with which we may find 

 ourselves confronted. 



Alfred Austin, in "The Garden that I love," 

 a book which 1 consider the most beautiful ever 

 written about a garden, says : " Nature is a 

 stupendous artist, but she conceals her designs, 

 and man is sorely puzzled when he tries to imitate 

 her." Now, I know we are all prone to wayward- 

 ness and often feel that we can improve on Nature's 

 lines, but I cannot admit that she hides her designs 

 from those who earnestly seek them ; indeed, I find 

 the difficulty consists not in obeying, but in trans- 

 gressing Nature's laws, which, far from concealing, 

 she lavishly displays for our guidance. 



It is only when we set ourselves the impossible 

 task of improving the work of our Mistress that we 

 find ourselves in difficulties. Therefore I do not 

 intend to burden my readers with a mass of detail, 

 instructing them how to arrange these or those 

 flowers, but merely exhort them, when in doubt, to 

 ask themselves where and how the flowers with 

 which they may be dealing originally grew ; and, 

 having settled this matter in their own minds, let 

 them steadfastly endeavour to arrange them in as 

 nearly similar positions as possible, always allowing 



