July. 1909 



THE G A R I ) E N M A G A Z I N E 



337 



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The low dish was chosen for daffodils because it 

 ■was broad enough to admit of repeating the idea 

 of the growth of the plants. 



ment is carried out on a basis of beautiful 

 lines suggested by structural growth of each 

 type of plant. Flowering trees and shrubs 

 furnish all kinds of suggestions for beautiful 

 curves and lines which may be used as a 

 guide in this type. The two main boughs 

 of the maple tree suggested the arrangement 

 of maple branches shown in the figure; 

 the bow-shaped line in a pear tree brought 

 a thought for another. 



Other types of flowers furnish their own 

 ideas. In hollyhocks and foxgloves, the 

 line of tall straightness attracts us, some 

 curve or lean a little way adding grace and . 

 variety, but, after all, the tall slenderness 

 is the dominant feature of growth. The 

 growth lines govern not only the placement 

 of the stalks but the contour of the spaces 



Large flowers usually arrange better in threes or 

 fives and in unequally sided triangles. Straight, 

 erect lines are not desirable 



among the blooms, for there must be spaces 

 to see fully the perfection of form. 



The shops display several inventions to 

 aid in keeping flowers in desired positions. 

 A glass contrivance was used in the grouping 

 shown on the lower corner of this page. 

 Perhaps a better one is made of bendable 

 metal in which the size of the holes and their 

 positions can be altered. This idea comes 

 from Germany. The advantage of sand 

 is well known. A big receptacle can 

 sometimes have placed within several 

 weighted smaller ones, which will 

 give the necessary support to the stems, 

 not too large pickle bottles being often a 

 great help. I like nothing better than 

 seaside pebbles of varying sizes which can 

 be shifted at will and which admit of using 

 more water than sand does. 



As a rule, the more massive the flowers, 

 the fewer needed in an arrangement. It is 

 the same with branches of shrubs and trees. 

 Many produce too much interplay and so 

 confusion results. Art assumes that the 

 plant springs from the surface of the water 



A little too much inter-play and how readily con- 

 fusion results! The value of the receptacle with 

 the background and flowers is nice 



or within the receptacle. Hence it is essen- 

 tial to keep a look of vitality there. An 

 arrangement of flowers demanding height in 

 a receptacle will look best when the flowers 

 extend from once and a half to twice the 

 height of the container. 



The Japanese, so successful in flower 

 compositions, follow this rule. They also 

 say that water flowers, small flowers, and 

 vines are governed in arrangement by the 

 width of the receptacle rather than the 

 altitude. But we have many plants whose 

 growth, to my mind, conveys a suggestion 

 of a broad, rather than high, arrangement, 

 and the choice of vase to be made accord- 

 ingly. Some flowers seem to grow so that 

 a few look well arranged according to 

 height, while more need an arrangement 

 according to width, making them eminently 

 suitable for dinner table decoration. The 

 daffodil is a case in point. 



The balancing was done from the tallest branch 

 held by a glass " holder " in the bottom. The small 

 branch on the right of the primary is a little weak 



Arrangement of pansies in a gourd basket. Small 

 flowers may usually be massed together for the 

 glory of their color without regard to composition 



Branches of apple blossoms as picked from tree. 

 Compare with them arrangements shown on op- 

 posite corner and top of preceding page 



