The Garden Magazine, August, 1922 



353 



First Know Your Plants 



THE Japanese have an intimate ac- 

 quaintance with the plant material they 

 use for decorative effects. Conder says: 

 "the imperative necessity for a proper fa- 

 miliarity with the nature of all flowers used 

 in compositions is one reason why it is for- 

 bidden to employ those of rare or little 

 known plants however beautiful they may 

 be. The use of wild flowers, only known to 

 the botanist, as well as rare or foreign 

 flowers with the names of which ordinary 

 folks are not familiar, is prohibited, unless 

 the arranger has previously made himself 

 perfectly acquainted with all the natural 

 characteristics of such flowers. As one ex- 

 ponent of the art has quaintly expressed it, 

 the artist must be thoroughly imbued with 

 a sympathetic feeling for the character, 

 habits, virtues and weaknesses of the mem- 

 bers of the floral kingdom from which he 

 seeks his material, till he possesses almost 

 the same love and tenderness for their 

 qualities, as for those of living beings." 



The Japanese are flower lovers, but it is 

 not the rare or unusual flower that most 

 interests them. It is the material of every- 

 day life which they use to the largest extent. 

 This material varies with the season, and 

 they do not try to force it into flower at 

 unusual seasons with glass-houses for winter 

 production of flowers, as is done in America. 

 True it is that climatic conditions better 

 favor the Japanese in this respect. Attrac- 

 tive native material is available every month 

 of the year. There is no desire on the part 

 of the writer to depreciate the value of 

 flowers grown in greenhouses. They afford 

 an appropriate means of ornamentation at 



A GOOD BALANCED COMPOSITION (above) 

 IN CONTRAST WITH A POOR ONE (below) 

 The success of an arrangement depends largely upon the selection of harmoni- 

 ous materials; balance is displayed above in the judicious placing of Deutzia 

 (shrub) at the centre supported on the left by Kalmia (shrub) and on the right 

 by Campanula (herb). Below is an example of unfortunate " sandwiching " 

 with Philadelphus (shrub) as a pivot inadequately companied by Campanula 

 (herb) and Astilbe (herb). (See text page 355) 



people, and we see in them much that is symbolic of the de- 

 velopment of our race. The common flowers of the seasons are 

 given prominent places in our fete-day calendar. We treasure 

 them as heralds of each season and they are inseparable from 

 the favorite occupations and outdoor life of my people." 



IT IS rarely that an American would care to have flowers ar- 

 ranged in characteristically Japanese manner. The setting 

 has much to do with the value of a flower arrangement. There 

 are few rooms in American homes and but few occasions where 

 distinctly Japanese flower arrangements would be appropriate. 

 The peculiar atmosphere of the Far East is necessary for an 

 interesting harmony between the flower arrangements and 

 their environment. Flowers arranged in essentially Japanese 

 style would be as much out of place for a dinner in an aristo- 

 cratic Washington home, as would one of farm produce or wood- 

 land material. Japanese furniture, draperies, lights, and table 

 service are needed to make such a decoration appropriate and 

 harmonious. 



There are, however, many principles governing the way 

 flowers are used by the Japanese which are valuable in American 

 flower arrangement, and on these principles it is desired to 

 place emphasis. 



