DECOEATIVE USE OF FLOWERS. 



213 



B. manicata to the lustrous metallic leaves of 

 B. metallica, and from the silvery foliage of B. 

 Princess Charlotte to the reddish-brown of B. 

 incarnata purpurescens. In Begonias alone there is 

 a wide field for exei-cising one's abilities in de- 

 coration. They are not the best of flowers for 

 keeping fresh for any length of time, but this must 

 not always be regarded as an essential property. 

 We have made very effective groups with the leaves 

 of B. metallica, and the panicles of bloom from 

 B. nitida odorata, the pure white flowers being seen 

 to advantage with the dark foliage. Take again the 

 foliage of a silvery-leaved variety, and the flowers 

 of a pink kind, either by itself or blend another 

 colour with it, and you have a good display. The 

 host of tuberous-rooted varieties yield an abundant 

 choice in colour during the summer months. All 

 Begonias will keep the better if arranged with long- 

 stems in water only. 



As another example we will direct attention to 

 what may be termed the "aesthetic" flowers now so 

 much in request. Many of these are very distinct 

 and effective ; such, for instance, as Rudheckia New- 

 Maniii, Chrysanthemum frutescens, or Paris Daisies 

 (yellow and white), the single Pyrethrums, the 

 Star-worts or Asters, of which A. leucanthemum is 

 one of the best whites. Harpal'mm rigidum, similar 

 to the Sunflowers, but of more convenient size, and 

 the Gaillardias, are both useful in this class of de- 

 coration. The many shades of single Dahlias afford 

 plenty of choice for such work. These and other 

 similar subjects would be of close resemblance in 

 character, yet harmonising well together by a 

 judicious choice of colour. 



Another system of arrangement, which is as 

 effective as any we know, is obtained by selecting 

 flowers from closely-allied families of plants, which 

 we would designate " characteristic arrangements." 

 Of such as this, no better example can be given than 

 that to be had from the numerous Liliaceous plants of 

 varied habit and colour, not necessarily resembling 

 one another in any way, yet when brought into close 

 unison with each other they are most strikingly 

 effective. Take for instance the red, white, and 

 blue of the Yallota, the Eucharis, and the Aga- 

 panthus, or the White Water Lily, with the German, 

 Spanish, and English Iris. Take the same Water 

 Lily again, with some small spikes of Gladiolus, or 

 the Scarlet Turk's Cap Lily, and in either case you 

 have an effective display, by adding suitable foliage, 

 not forgetting the Sedges {Carex sp. and Cyperus sp.). 

 Sehizostylis coccinea in the late autumn is excellent 

 in company with the Eucharis or with the slender 

 spikes of the Roman Hyacinth. Lilies of the Valley 

 with Lachenalia tricolor and Astilbe japonica are 

 very pretty. The latter is in fact useful in all such 



arrangements as we have just commented upon. 

 The Forget-me-nots, too, are very suitable with 

 Water Lilies, the summer-flowering varieties being 

 in perfection at the same time, and to be found in 

 catalogues under the name of Myosotis palustris and 

 M. azorica. One spike with about two open blossoms 

 and a bud ready to expand of Lilium longifiorum 

 would be well placed in an upright and natural 

 manner against the stem of a glass stand, not each 

 flower cut off and laid flat, but used entire with 

 a good length of stem. Around this, but lower, 

 about three spathes of AntJmrium Scherzerianum, 

 and the same number of a blue Iris, with a few 

 flowers of the White Water Lily at the base, would 

 afford a good example of this style of decoration. 



Some such system of arranging flowers is much to 

 be preferred to what is most commonly seen carried 

 out, under what we call indiscriminate arrangements. 

 By this we mean the grouping together of a few 

 pieces of this, that, and another kind of flower, that 

 do not harmonise and blend with each other. It may 

 be fairly termed the mixed-medley style of doing the 

 work ; the operator relying for effect, such as it is, 

 on the greatest variety of form and colour that can 

 be in any way got into one design. This is the more 

 to be condemned when several stands have to be filled 

 for placing in the same apartment, imparting a same- 

 ness or similarity that is wearisome to the eye. Even 

 where one vase only of more than average size has to 

 be filled, this collecting together in one incongruous 

 or indefinite mass of many flowers, which have no 

 affinity in any way, is still to be condemned. The 

 same rule holds good in all arrangements throughout 

 the house in this respect. We have noticed more 

 than once that the decorations have looked the best 

 when the supply has been short wherewith to do the 

 work. The temptation to use more flowers than are 

 really necessary is not so easily resisted when any 

 considerable quantity is at hand. It is also a mistake 

 to spend too much time in dressing the stands or 

 vases ; some of the prettiest that we have done have 

 been when pushed for time to complete them. 



Flowers with powerful perfumes should not be ex- 

 tensively used in any table decorations ; and some that 

 we have quoted have a tendency in this direction. Of 

 such we advise but few to be worked into any one set 

 of designs at the same time. Gardenias, Stephanotis, 

 and other strongly-scented flowers, should never be 

 made free use of in the dining-room for any pm-pose 

 whatever. There are plenty of ways in which such 

 as these can be utilised in other apartments. 



Preservation. — After the flowers have served 

 their purpose, should there have been much gas con- 

 sumed, or the temperature of the room rather high, 

 it will much revive them if they can be taken to r, 



