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APBIL 1, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review; 



21 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST... 



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STORE DISPLAYS FOR EASTER. 



The Superabundance of Material. 



The amount and variety of plants and 

 cut stock to be had about Easter time 

 sometimes puzzle one when he attempts 

 to display them to advantage and still 

 keep within the bounds of good taste. 



After trying various ways of arrang- 

 ing a large quantity of extra, plants for 

 a holiday, the most practical and simple 

 method yet found has been to clear out 

 all cases and movable furniture and fill 

 up the space with groups of plants, each 

 kind by itself, as nearly as possible. Low 

 tables or benches are the best for plants. 

 Here they are off the floor, but still low 

 enough so that the purchasers can look 

 down upon them. Extra fine specimens 

 should be mounted on individual stands, 

 apart from the rest. 



After space has been allotted to each 

 kind of plants, separate the colors. Plants 

 are thus more easily located by the busy 

 salesmen, and more satisfactorily com- 

 pared by the customer. Baskets and 

 other special arrangements should be 

 either classed by themselves in a particu- 

 lar place or displayed individually, as is 

 done with specimen plants. 



Gmflicttns G>Ior(. 



It is not always an easy matter to ar- 

 range plants of the same kind, but of 

 many different colors, for all the reds 

 can by no means be used close together, 

 any more properly than can the reds and 

 purples, reds and yellows, or different or- 

 ders of clashy pinks. 



Take, for instance, cinerarias. In any 

 ordinary sized collection there will be 

 found every shade of red, purple and 

 blue, and intermediate shades and tints 

 that no master of color could define or 

 classify. To reduce this puzzling mass 

 of colors to some semblance of order and 

 harmony, first set out the darkest purple 

 in the center of the space. Next select 

 the purple which comes the nearest to 

 the center purple, but begins to run into 

 the crimson or red. Then, on the same 

 side, place those which have a little more 

 red and less of the purple, then the 

 pure reds, next the rose-colored ones, 

 which, after a while, grade out to light 

 pink, and at the extreme end the white 

 with the touches of pink or red on the 

 edge. 



Now, returning to the purple center of 

 the group, select the purples which run 

 into the blue, the darkest first, then the 

 purer blues, next the light, until at the 

 opposite end you find the white -tipped 

 with blue, and perhaps the pot of gold 

 either at this end or the opposite end of 

 the rainbow. 



Changes in Window Displays. 



What has been said with regard to the 

 groups of plants can be said with regard 

 to window displays. It is impossible to 

 exhibit creditably at once in a window 

 anything like a goodly per cent of the 

 numerous kinds of flowers or plants of- 

 fered for Easter trade. The best solu- 

 tion of the problem is to make frequent 

 changes of window display, and make 

 them striking in coloring and grouping. 



On account of similarity of inflorescence, 

 get together your lilacs and spiraeas, and 

 if you wish to emphasize the violet color, 

 introduce some cut violets or cinerarias, 

 which will add to the charm of the dec- 

 oration by harmony of color and contrast 

 in growing habits, as the ferns adorn the 

 shady nooks beneath the giant oaks. 



Tilt pink blooming plants in bas- 

 ket covers among some fern baskets, over 

 a group of double and single white nar- 

 cissi or marguerites. That will make an- 

 other day's window. If you have some 

 especially fine Enchantress or other light 

 pink carnations, set in a huge vase or 

 basket in the center of a field of potted 

 pansies. , 



An Easter Lily Window. 



Another day have an Easter lily win- 

 dow, with two or three harmonious colors 

 of tulip pots. Set in two high, slender 

 stands at opposite ends of the windows, 

 oh each stand place a tall vase of cut 

 lilies or a fine specimen of the potted lily. 

 About the base of each stand place a 

 group of vases or potted plants, keeping 

 the idea of a column of lilies in mind. 

 Fill in the rest of the window floor 

 space with the pots of tulips in red, or 

 yellow, or pink, remembering that in the 

 latter phrase are "ors" and not 

 "ands." 



The problem" of the calla is difficult for 

 those who do not admire the queenly 

 flower. Sometimes you may be inclined 

 to think that the fine, feathery flowers 

 and foliage are needed with the heavy 

 flowers and foliage of the calla, but on 

 second thought, why not select cyperus 

 and other water foliage and large fern 

 leaves? 



A Calla Window. 



A deep tank in which can be placed a 

 number of slender vases, each holding a 

 calla and leaf, is the best plan for the 

 calla window. With these have a liberal 

 sprinkling of daffodils and other long- 

 stemmed varieties of narcissi or snap- 

 dragons. Make it all wild and close look- 

 ing. Sometime when they pile up on 



Dwarf Azaleas in Faney China Receptacles. 



