FLORAL DECORATIONS. 



647 



Cornus. — The Dogwoods afford two useful plants for 

 winter effect, viz. V. sanguined, a bush with Willow - 

 like stems of a bright-red colour, and 0. atroaanguinea, 

 with stems of a darker crimson colour. Planted in beds 

 with Eranthis, Crocus, or Snowdrop, the colour of the 

 stems is accentuated by the flowers. The stems should 

 be cut back every year just before they begin to break. 



Crataegus Pyracantha. — Small plants grown in pots 

 and covered with their clusters of rich- red berries may be 

 used in a variety of ways. The variety Lcelandii is best 

 for this purpose. 



Cryptomeria japonica elegans. — Very elegant and 

 graceful ; the variety nana is perhaps the best for winter- 

 bedding. 



Cupressus. — Young plants of any species are suitable. 

 There are some golden and variegated varieties of C. 

 Lawsoniana, such as erecta viridis, Fraseri, lutea, and 

 nana glauca, which show up brightly in winter. 



Erica. — The hardy Heaths make neat winter-bedding 

 plants. Those which flower in winter are E. herbacea 

 carnea, with bright flesh-coloured flowers ; E. mediterranea 

 and its varieties alba, carnea, glauca, nana, stricta, and 

 rubra; E. vulgaris aurea, with golden foliage, is useful for 

 edging. 



Euonymus. — E. japonicus and its varieties argentea 

 variegatus and aurea variegatus, make shapely little 

 shrubs, whilst E. radicans and its variegated form are 

 most effective as edging plants. 



Gaultheria procumbent, a neat little evergreen shrub 

 4 to 6 inches in height, with bright -coloured berries, is 

 most useful for edging. 



Hedera. — The Ivy affords so much variety in form 

 and colour that a whole series of beds might be furnished 

 with it alone. The shapely little bushes formed by the 

 "tree" Ivies, some of which are richly variegated, and 

 such of the creeping sorts as can easily be made to assume 

 a convenient shape with the aid of a stake, are specially 

 recommended. 



Ilex. — The Hollies afford much variety in form and 

 colour of leaf, whilst small plants of free-fruiting varieties 

 may be used with good results. Some of the best are 

 ferox, foliis argenteis, flavum (yellow-berried), Golden 

 Queen, Silver Queen, Shepherdii, Madeirensis variegata, 

 and aurea picta (Golden Milkmaid). There are some good 

 weeping varieties, including Handsworthensis pendula. 



Juniperus. — All the hardy Junipers are well adapted 

 for winter-bedding. Some of the best are /. Sabina 

 variegata, J. chinensis aurea, and J. chinensis albo varie- 

 gata. 



Ligustrum. — The Privets may be largely used if easily- 

 grown plants only can be afforded. The large and small- 

 leaved sorts, the golden and the variegated, are among 

 the most serviceable of plants grown for winter effect. 



Osmanthus ilicifolius. — This handsome Holly - like 

 plant with dark-green shiny leaves, and its purple-leaved 

 variety, are worth using in those parts of the country 

 where they are hardy. 



Pernettya mucronata. — There are many forms of this 

 hardy dwarf evergreen shrub, with small dark-green rigid 

 leaves, the berries of which in winter are most attractive, 

 being very abundant in clusters all over the branches, 

 and coloured white, pink, lilac, purple, and crimson. 

 Birds steal the berries in frosty weather. 



Picea (Abies) excelsa. — The dwarf varieties of Spruce, 

 especially clanbrasiliana and conica, from 2 to 3 feet 

 high; elegans, Finedonensis (variegated), and pumila, 3 

 to 6 feet high. 



Pieris (Andromeda). — Valuable for their flowers, pro- 



duced in winter and early spring, especially P. floribunda 



and P. japonica. These make good permanent bed-. 



RETIN08POBA. — The variegated kinds are very ornamen- 

 tal, especially young plants of the following: li. pisifera, 

 and var. aurea; R. phantom, and vars. argentea and aurea; 

 and It. squarrosa — these will bear clipping to almost any 

 extent. 



9ALIX (Willow). — Some of the Willows are recom- 

 mended for the bright colour of their leafless stems in 

 winter; they are: 8. atropurpurea, dark-purple, 8. pur- 

 purea, red-purple, and <V. aurea, yellow ; most effective 

 near water. 



Skimmia japonica and 8. oblata ( Veitchii) are dwarf 

 evergreens with large scarlet berries in clusters. 



Spir^a Douglasii. — The young bronzy twigs of this 

 little shrub form a very pleasing contrast in the winter. 

 They should be cut back every spring to within a foot of 

 the ground. 



Taxus (Yew). — There are several varieties of both the 

 common and Irish Yews which are well suited for winter- 

 bedding. Small plants of these may be used to fill beds 

 either alone or in combination with other plants. 



Thuja. — All the forms of T. occidentals are very well 

 adapted for grouping with other evergreen trees and 

 shrubs in winter beds. 



Thujopsis.— Small plants of T. borealis, T. dolobrata 

 nana, and var. variegata, are especially serviceable in 

 winter-bedding. 



Veronica. — In the warmer parts of the country the 

 New Zealand Veronicas may be employed as winter- 

 bedders. They comprise considerable variety of habit 

 and foliage, are evergreen, and they bear transplanting 

 well. 



Viburnum. — The Laurustinus may be used both for its 

 leaves and flowers. Small plants, if grown in pots, flower 

 freely. 



Vinca major. — The Periwinkle, both green and varie- 

 gated, is a very useful plant for winter effects, being suit- 

 able for edging, or as a carpet to spring-flowering bulbs, 

 &c. It thrives under trees. 



[E.B.] 



CHAPTER XLV. 



FLORAL DECORATIONS. 



The term Floral Decorations is popularly 

 applied to the use of portions of plants, such 

 as leaves, flowers, and fruits, for ornamental 

 purposes. The subject may be conveniently 

 treated under the three following heads : — 



Personal Decorations. — This includes all those 

 floral ornaments worn or used by ladies, such 

 as hand-bouquets, breast or dress bouquets or 

 sprays, wreaths, coronets, and sprays for the 

 hair, &c; and by gentlemen, in the form of 

 button-hole bouquets. 



Domestic Decorations. — This is a wide field, and 

 embraces the ornamentation of vestibules, halls, 

 &c. ; of tables, dinner and others ; of walls, side- 

 boards, doorways, windows, and other parts of 

 the house. 



Preparation of Material. — Consideration should 



