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THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



Where light and graceful flowers are required to add elegance to arrangements 

 there are no kinds better than Gypsophila paniculata, Asperula hexaphylla, Thalictrum 

 aquilegifolium, or some of the numerous elegant annuals. Among these border 

 flowers, there are also many which have elegant foliage of the greatest assistance in 

 arranging flowers. Such leaves or sprays as those of the pyrethrums, thalictrums, 

 aquilegias, some of the achilleas, or the spireeas, may be mentioned as associating 

 excellently with cut flowers. 



There are some flowers whose beauty is greatly destroyed by the absence of suitable 

 foliage when they are placed in glasses or vases. It sometimes happens that they are 

 bulbous plants producing so few leaves that depriving them of these would weaken 

 the bulb for another season. In this case, it is necessary to provide a substitute of 

 suitable appearance. Galtonia candicans, for instance, is greatly improved by rising 

 above leaves similar in character to its own, and those of some of the kniphofias or 

 irises may be used. The kniphofias are also much improved by the addition of a few 

 of their own leaves. 



Among the most useful adjuncts to the effect of border flowers, when used for deco- 

 ration, are the grasses and sedges. Without their use, much of the charm of many 

 flowers is lost. Take a bunch of the brilliant poppies, and put them in a dish by them- 

 selves, and then add a few spikes of some of the elegant native or exotic grasses, and 

 the contrast will show how valuable these flowering grasses and sedges are for this 

 purpose. Where there is space some of these should be grown in the garden, but 

 dwellers in the country will find enough and to spare by the hedgerows or roadsides 

 or in the ditches to furnish all they require. 



It hardly seems necessary to say anything on the arrangement of colours. Some 

 very beautiful effects are produced by the use of one colour only, or even of one flower. 

 Contrasts are less desirable than harmonies. Those who study their flowers in the 

 garden will have little difficulty in arranging them for decoration or for bouquets. 



Generally speaking, red or pink flowers do not harmonize with lilac or purple 

 ones, but the warmer colours, such as scarlet, crimson, pink, orange, and yellow, are 

 easily arranged to give a pleasing effect. Blue is a favourite colour among flowers, but 

 there are few real blues, and creamy whites or pale yellows will be found to go better 

 with these than pure whites and deep orange yellows. 



For spring considerable reliance must be placed on bulbs. Snowdrops, daffodils, 

 tulips, and anemones may be named, with scillas and white arabis or Cardamine 



