842 



CASSELL'S POPULAK GARDENING. 



"Wreaths and Sprays.—Wreatlis for the deco- 

 ration of the head-dress of ladies are not so prevalent 

 now as formerly. They look best when carefully 

 made in the lightest manner possible ; that portion 

 which is arranged to the front should be wider and 

 somewhat more imposing than where the two ends 

 meet at the back of the head. In fact, when well 

 made it should graduate each way from the front 

 until both ends meet, with a narrow margin to each, 

 at the back of the head-dress. These wreaths require 

 very careful manipulation ; there should not be the 

 slightest pretence at working up the effect by using 

 an extra quantity of flowers and foliage. When the 

 colours are suitable, the scarlet and white varieties 

 of Bouvardias, represented by B. Hogarth and B. 

 i'legans among the scarlet, and B. Vrcclandu and B. 

 Alfred Neuner among the whites, will make an effec- 

 tive arrangement for a wreath of this kind. If 

 lighter coloui-s are desirable, instead of the scarlets 

 there are B. Priory Beauty, with pale satin rose, 

 and B. Queen of Roses, with bright rosy- pink 

 blossoms. These and other varieties will be found 

 of excellent service in this kind of decoration, of 

 light appearance, and easily arranged. During 

 their long season the Marguerites, or Paris Daisies 

 (yellow and white), will make very appropriate 

 material for the same uses. Among our hardy plants, 

 the Pansies or Heartsease will afford us excellent 

 subjects for head-dresses ; so also will the Primroses 

 and Lilies of the Valley. These wreaths having to 

 be made somewhat narrow in proportion to their 

 length, the Fern that is to back them u^) should be 

 chosen as suitable as possible. AspJenium Veitchii 

 would be an excellent kind ; the Davallias also, with 

 a small spray only of the Maiden-hair Fern for fear 

 it may fade too soon. Small Ivy-leaves are also 

 extremely pretty, and very durable ; these should be 

 chosen with the pale green and bronzy tints on 

 them. During the autumn the extreme points of 

 the shoots of the Virginian Creeper would be of great 

 service. 



Sprays for the dress are much more sought after 

 now than a few years back ; in fact, great improve- 

 ments have been manifest for some time past in this 

 style of personal decoration, and some most beautiful 

 devices of this kind are now to be met with. Simple 

 flowers are by far the best for these purposes ; take, 

 for instance, a few blossoms of the Poet's Narciss 

 (Nai-cissus pocticiis) and a backing of a few small Ivy- 

 leaves and Fern-fronds — the choicest Orchid will 

 not surpass it for beauty. Other kinds of Narcissus 

 or Daffodils can be ased, the smaller ones being pre- 

 ferable. Eose-buds, again, especially those of pointed 

 shape, are always sure to give satisfaction. Work in 

 the beautiful tinted leaves of some of the Tea-scented 

 varieties with their own buds, and no other foliage 



accompaniment will be needed. All the -powers 

 mentioned for the wreaths will be suitable for the 

 sprays, besides which should be enumerated the 

 choice of rarities among the Orchids and stove plants, 

 and the inmates of the green-house also. Suitable 

 things from among the Orchids are very numerous ; 

 those, however, that we have previously quoted will 

 be found among the best, though there are many 

 others that could be named. Eucharls Candida, 

 Dipladenia boliviensis, Ipoinea Hor.falluc, and Hoya 

 hella will all be choice additions from the stove. 

 From the green-house, among manj^ uncommon 

 things, the small-flowered forms of the tender 

 Ehododendrons will be extremely interesting, with 

 their Stephanotis-like blossoms of many shades. Be- 

 sides the foliage already advised for the wreaths, 

 some sj)rays of Asparagus plumosus nanus, and the 

 smaller leaves of the gaily- coloured Crotons, wiU be 

 of durable service from the stove-house ; whilst from 

 the cold green-house, and open air in sheltered 

 positions, the fine laciniate foliage of the Japanese 

 Maples would all the summer season be of the 

 gTeatest use. In form these sprays should taper to 

 a point, using the smallest flowers ;;t the extremity. 

 Avoid going to the extreme in jDoint of size, or the 

 length of the wa-eath will be an inconvenience rather 

 than an ornament. 



Button -liole Bouquets. — Button-hole bou- 

 quets and coat flowers are among the easiest of all 

 things to arrange, yet we often see them unsatis- 

 factorily done. The simple coat flowers, such as 

 Rose-buds, Gardenia blossoms, and the like, can 

 hardly be said to require anj^ making, merelj^ re- 

 quiring the addition of their own foliage in each 

 case, instead of going abroad to seek something else 

 in their place. It is a good plan to be on the safe 

 side with a wire or two thrust through each, in case 

 of accident to the stem, which should be as small as 

 possible. With button-hole bouquets, in which two 

 or more kinds of flowers are arranged together, 

 be careful not to produce them of too large a size ; 

 this is frequently the mistake that is made in these 

 compositions. Two colours are enough in any such 

 arrangement, and these must be chosen with due 

 discrimination. AVith a Rose-bud, a piece of Astilbe 

 japonica always looks well; so also does one fair-sized 

 Rose-bud with two or three tiny buds of Fairy Roses 

 round it. Little sprays of Forget-me-nots will be 

 very useful, so also wiU the Statices, both the hardy 

 and the green-house vaiieties. A couple of blossoms 

 of the Tuberose, with a little colour addition, will be 

 ample for one arrangement. Wiring will be essen- 

 tial with many flowers, Camellias in particular: 

 these require to be taken when the flower-bud ap- 

 pears to have two or three days longer to go before 



