FLORAL DECORATIONS. 



65; 



dish half-way up, and a trumpet at the top), the 

 flowers should first be assorted according to 



below, and the lightest in the top of the vase. 

 It often happens that shade of colour is of more 



their sizes, the largest for the bottom dish, the | consequence than size of flower, and that small 



lightest at the top, and those of medium size 



Fig. 780.— Jasper Flower-holders. 



in the middle dish. While this rule is an 

 important one generally, it must not be too 

 stringently adhered to ; a few light flowers 

 amongst the heavy ones at the base of a vase 



Fig. 781 — Epergne. 



being often a great improvement, while one or 

 two flowers of medium size amongst the light 

 ones help to give character and force to the top 

 of a vase. 



Next, the flowers should be assorted according 

 to their colours, and those which will not group 

 well with the majority of the flowers should be 

 put aside. The darkest shades should be used 



flowers of a dark shade, placed in bold masses 

 at the bottom of a vase, look well under larger 



Fig. 782.— Arcadian Arch. 



flowers of a paler shade placed higher up in the 

 arrangement. 



Another point to be remembered is, that 

 flowers of a similar form group together much 

 better than when two 

 or more forms are 

 mixed, as in fig. 784. 

 In this the base is 

 furnished with fronds 

 of various Ferns and 

 stems of Cissus dis- 

 color. Amongst these 

 are flowers of Eu- 

 charis, Rochea coccinea, 

 and Allamanda. The 

 middle dish contains 

 Vallota, white Dipla- 

 denia, and Stepha- 

 notis, mixed with and 

 fringed by Adian- 

 tum and Davallia. In 

 the top are red and 

 white Bouvardia, 

 mixed with grass, and 

 fringed with droop- 

 ing pieces of Myrsi- 

 phyllum. It will be 

 seen that the sizes 

 of the flowers and 

 foliage diminish from the bottom to the top, 

 and that only one colour (red) is used besides 

 white (the pale-yellow Allamanda looking nearly 

 white by artificial light) ; also that the deep- 

 red of the Rochea comes below the paler Val- 

 lota, although the blossoms of the latter are 

 larger; the delicate-red of the Bouvardia ap- 

 propriately carries the colour to the top of the 



Fig. 783.— Bamboo Stand. 



