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The Weekly Florists' Review* 



Dbcbmbeb 30, 1909. 



such work? We are asked to call at the 

 home of Miss Soon-to-be-wed and give her 

 folks some idea as to how much a simple 

 decoration will cost. We find the mar- 

 riage ceremony is to be performed in the 

 parlor. The bridal party is not a large 

 one, so from twelve to eighteen palms will 

 be sufficient for a nice background. There 

 is also a fireplace, which will not be used. 

 This should be nicely filled with plants. 

 There are no gas fixtures, but there is a 

 stairway which needs a little trimming. 

 In the dining room we suggest to the 

 customer that some smilax on the side- 

 board would look well. 



The table is an oval one, to seat eight- 

 een guests. It is four feet wide and 

 eight feet long. White roses are to be 

 used on the table in the shape of a 

 mound; also four small vases near the 

 corners. Anotlier suggestion is that a 

 vase of white chrysanthemums be used on 

 the piano and several bouquets of mixed 

 flowers in other rooms. 



Now let us make a rough estimate : 



Bank of palms, from $5 to $7.50. 



Fern plants In fireplace, $2 to $3. 



Smilax and ribbon on stairway (about four 

 smilax and four or five yards of chiffon), $2 

 to $3. 



Three smilax on sideboard, 75 cents. 



Centerpiece of white roses, using 12-lncli 

 plateau (oval), $3 to $4. 



Two dozen roses for small vases, $2 to $2.50. 



Vase of white mums, $2.50 to $3.50. 



Two bouquets, $2. 



Total, $19.25 to $25.75. 



We will say from $20 to $28 for the whole 

 decoration. 



If you are a florist in a large city, 

 where there is much competition, you may 

 be told that some other florist has offered 

 to do the work for less. The florist in a 

 little town, having practically no compet- 

 itors, has nothing like this to contend 

 with. 



Perhaps your customer will suggest 

 some slight changes in your plans. She 

 will also want some idea as to the cost 

 of the bride 's and bridesmaids ' bouquets, 



until the last minute. It would also be 

 well to look over your stands and pot 

 covers, for, not having been used for some 

 time, they may need a little cleaning. A 

 small decoration like the foregoing can 

 easily be finished in one morning. 



When you unload your plants at the 

 house, first lay some newspapers on the 

 floor where the plants are to stand tem- 

 porarily, so as not to soil the carpet or 

 floor. Arrange the palms first of all, so 

 as to get them out of the way. In the 

 group of palms you must avoid even lines 

 at the top. Start with a few tall, slender 

 plants, set high upon stands, gradually 

 working down to the floor. Try different 

 palms in different places in the group. 

 Often a palm will not seem to fit a cer- 

 tain place, while one perhaps a little 

 more bushy will look just right. Turning 

 a plant around may also help you to place 

 it to the best advantage. Every pot 

 which shows in the group should be hid 

 with a pot cover. These covers can be 

 bought at the florists' supply houses, are 

 inexpensive and will last for many years 

 if given an occasional coat of paint. 



When through placing the palms, ar- 

 range the plants in the fireplace. Being 

 considerably larger than the fireplace in 

 a city home, it will take four or five 

 plants to fill it nicely. Place a tall, slen- 

 der palm well back in the fireplace, in 

 such a position that it will protrude at 

 one corner of the opening, while its 

 leaves spread out gracefully. Then fill in 

 with the other plants, using a little vari- 

 ety if possible. This may sound easy, but 

 often you will have to rearrange the 

 plants several times before the desired 

 effect is obtained. Crumpled up news- 

 paper will help to keep the plants where 

 you want them. 



Use Smilax and Flowers. 



You are now through with the plants 

 and any remaining ones should be set to 



"Weddiag Decoration by Boatwright's Floral Co. 



so be prepared to give an estimate on 

 these. 



Arrangement of Plants. 



The wedding takes place the following 

 Thursday at 7:30 in the evening, which 

 gives plenty of time to order what flowers 

 you need from the nearest city that has a 

 commission house. Still, do not put it off 



one side, out of the way. On the stair- 

 way we will hang some smilax, fastening 

 it to the railing and allowing it to hang 

 in natural loops. Where the ends are 

 brought together a pretty bow of chiffon 

 will look well. 



The sideboard should be prettily fes- 

 tooned with smilax. If there are posts 1 

 on each side, twine some green around ' 



these. You will find strong pins handy in 

 fastening smilax or other greens. Where 

 possible, the pins should be driven into 

 cracks or where two pieces of wood meei 

 so as not to leave any marks when ro 

 moved. 



You are now through with the decoral 

 ing and can arrange the flowers. If, tr. 

 save a second trip, you brought the flow- 

 ers with you, of course it is advisable to 

 put the cut flowers in water upon arrival. 

 The centerpiece should be put in a cool 

 place until you are ready for it. Ovd' 

 centerpiece this time is in the form of a. 

 low mound of white roses. After puttinjj 

 it in place, arrange a few sprays of green 

 (asparagus if you have it) around it. 

 Then put six roses in each small vase, 

 placing one of the vases on each corner 

 of the table. You will have to use your 

 judgment as to how far from the center 

 they should be. See that the table looks 

 well balanced. A little of the asparagus 

 scattered over the table will not be amiss. 

 Place the flowers in vases where they will 

 be most effective, always keeping the col- 

 ors of the decoration in mind, that these 

 may not clash with the flowers. 



Before leaving, see that you have 

 cleaned up the worst of the dirt you 

 have made and consult with the person 

 from whom you received the order. Find 

 out if all is satisfactory. H. S. 



SOME CLASSIC DECORATIONS. 



At a recent fashionable wedding, held 

 in St. Paul's Episcopal church at Au- 

 gusta, Ga., the decorations were de- 

 signed and arranged by Boatwright's 

 Floral Co., of North Augusta, S. C. The 

 decorations were unusually chaste and ele- 

 gant, and in excellent harmony with the 

 classic interior of that fine old church. 

 They are not shown to the best advan- 

 tage, however, in the photograph here 

 reproduced, but have a little of what 

 the Boatwright decorator refers to as a 

 "flat" appearance, though the plants 

 were all specimens, comprising a sea- 

 forthia twelve feet high and dracsenas 

 of large size. 



The railing was banked with variegated 

 vinca and ivy in pots. Ferns were 

 banked at the ends of the steps. The 

 screen in front of the altar was of 

 smilax and the bar that supported the 

 bells was hung with the same material. 

 Hundreds of candles, which are not dis- 

 tinctly shown in the picture, were used. 

 Prize blooms of Silver Wedding mums 

 were placed on the altar and in largo 

 vases. The bells were not only covered 

 with pompon mums, but were also lined 

 with them, and each clapper was a speci 

 men mum. 



The most flattering part of this order 

 was that it was not accompanied by 

 specific directions or suggestions, and th' 

 family or friends did not have a glimps 

 of the decorations until they arrived fo 

 the ceremony. Under such conditions, c 

 course, the designers could do their best, 

 for confidence is always a tonic an' 

 brace to an artist. 



The Boatwrights have lately done ;' 

 great deal of decorating for occasion- 

 that demanded a high grade of work. A 

 the banquet recently tendered Presiden' 

 Taft by the Chamber of Commerce oi 

 Augusta at Hampton Terrace hotel, th'^ 

 floral arrangement was designed and exo 

 cuted by the Boatwrights. This firn» 

 also furnished ^he exquisite decoration^ 

 for the Chamber of Commerce when that 

 organization banqueted the late Mr. Har- 

 riman at the Country Club in Summer- 

 ville, the happy hunting ground, or rather 

 golfing ground, of Taft and Eockefeller. 



