MEMORIAL DAY DECORATIONS 
FRANCES DUNCAN 
The Use of Material Gathered from Woods, Fields, Gardens, and 
Dooryards and the Advantages This Offers to the Amateur Decorator 
IHE work of decorating assem- 
y ^ly hall ° r c * iurc ^ 1 ^ or 
Memorial Day services is 
Air usually in the hands of a 
committee of women, or of a women’s 
club or association; and the com- 
mittee is pretty sure to have 
taste and artistic feeling. But 
there are a few practical sug- 
gestions which may be of 
value. 
In the first place, cut flow- 
ers as they are used for house 
decoration, are by no means 
so easy for volunteer decora- 
tors to manage in the orna- 
menting of large public 
places, as the less used shrub branches. Shrub branches are 
very graceful, much more effective for a large room and very 
much easier to handle. They “carry well” as the painters 
say, that is, being on a larger scale than the cut flowers, they 
make an effective showing from a greater distance. Then it 
is much easier to keep them fresh, less are needed, and the 
work can be done far more quickly than with cut flowers, since 
it does not have to be so carefully elaborated. 
A WISE committee, like the Wise Virgins, will prepare be- 
forehand — will visit near-by gardens or call up patriot- 
ically inclined folk who have gardens or much shrubbery, by 
telephone and arrange for contributions of blossoming branches, 
and call up or visit any available nurseryman. Nurseries do 
not make a practice of selling cut flowers — that is not their 
trade — but in the blossoming season most nurseries have many 
very lovely shrubs and trees abloom as well as hardy plants in 
flower, from which flowers and blossoming branches can be cut 
almost lavishly, if the cutting is done by some one who under- 
stands where and how to do it. And these may be bought for 
comparatively little, if the buyers will come in person and carry 
them away; this last because the nurseries do not have facilities 
for packing and shipping cut flowers. 
Or sometimes whole shrubs in bloom may be taken up and 
potted or the roots carefully burlapped. Laurel or Azalea 
or Rhododendron used thus in a pot may afterward be planted 
out in someone’s garden, none the worse for its experience. 
Such blooming shrubs, indeed, taken up bodily and burlapped, 
are a boon to the amateur decorator. For they are wonder- 
fully easy to manage — far easier often than a potted plant — 
they keep perfectly fresh, may be tipped at any angle, and give 
a really lovely effect. Sometimes whole plants of Spirea in 
bloom may be bought at no greater cost than that of a couple 
of dozen Carnations. Overgrown shrubs six or eight feet high 
or unsymmetrical and unevenly grown plants, unsalable from 
the nurseryman’s point of view may be bought and used to 
great advantage for decorating. A decorating committee 
should therefore find out what may be had, first from private 
gardens and then from nurseries, before spending their allot- 
ment on cut flowers at so much a dozen. 
Among the shrubs which may be had in bloom at this season 
are Spiraea Van Houttei (sometimes called Bridal Wreath, 
although the true Bridal Wreath is the earlier Spiraea prunifolia) 
which has long graceful sprays of white flowers like small pom- 
pons, the Japanese ’Snowball (Viburnum plicatum), and other 
Viburnums, the very earliest of the 
Rhododendrons —some crimson and 
white varieties — the Mountain 
Laurel (Kalmia latifolia),and many 
of the Roses in some places — de- 
pending of course on how far north 
one is. 
T REE branches may also 
be used, especially for a 
background. The cut 
branches of Beech are lovely 
— or any green of which 
there is abundance will be 
of much service, for it is a 
boon to have plenty of 
greenery. The Mountain 
Laurel is very beautiful in leaf and lends itself wonderfully to 
decorative purposes. For making arches or wreaths, it would 
indeed be hard to find anything better. But if the wild Laurel 
is gathered, tree-loving folk will be careful to take either pruning 
shears or else a very sharp heavy knife, so that the plants shall 
not be broken, but instead smooth, clean cuts made which will 
heal over easily. The lovely Dogwood is also available usually; 
use just its informal branches. 
Another kind of decoration is arches of Crimson Rambler 
Roses with white Spiraea Van Houttei or the Japanese Snow- 
ball and some stalks of deep blue Iris to give the national colors. 
With only bunting and American flags, simple wreaths of Laurel 
make a dignified and effective decoration. If these are used, 
the arrangement of flags and bunting should be symmetrical, 
and the wreaths hung at regular intervals where the flags are 
looped together — like a decoration of the Adam period. 
Where cut flowers are used, the chief difficulty for the ama- 
teur is to keep them fresh. A number of small, narrow-necked 
bottles will be found invaluable for this; a few flowers are to be 
put in each of these and the bottle placed where it is out of sight 
and tied in its place, perhaps to an arch or a heavier piece of dec- 
orative material. Even such fragile flowers as Shirley Poppies 
may be used, if managed skilfully in this respect — and the 
flowers cut, not picked or broken from the stems. Cut them 
moreover early in the morning and when not quite opened and 
plunge the stems directly into water, handling the flowers as 
little as possible. If the white Field Daisies which sometimes 
are plentifully in bloom at this season, are used, take great care 
that they be kept fresh. Daisy wreaths or chains or ropes should 
be kept in a cool place in tubs where they can be well sprinkled, 
until required. 
To sum up: — plan decorations well beforehand; find out just 
what material you can have to use; and don’t wait until the 
flowers are brought to the hall or church and lie there wilting 
while the committee discusses where each shall go! Go to the 
church or assembly hall, and think it all out and discuss it fully, 
making notes and memoranda, and writing down the final de- 
cisions. That is the way professional decorators do; and if they 
find such preliminary work absolutely necessary how much 
more is it necessary for amateurs? Then when the flowers 
and plants are there, no time is lost in discussion. Those in 
charge know exactly where each is to go and the work goes ahead 
rapidly and easily — and what is more, usually with complete 
success and praise for all concerned, and no hurt feelings nor 
ill will! 
