November 2, 1893. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
391 
P erhaps at no season of the year do the eyes of those who 
revel in exquisite tints and infinite gradations of colour find 
so much to admire as during the autumn, when the surface of every 
woodland, and that of numerous groups or belts of trees, exhibit 
the unapproachable beauty of Nature’s colour blending. The 
spring, with its tender green leaves and blossoms of pristine 
beauty ; the summer, with its sunny skies, waving crops, gorgeous 
flowers, and deep green leaves have each a beauty of their own ; 
but to the leaves of autumn must be awarded the prim for 
the display of the greatest diversity of rich tints, which each 
year teach us useful lessons in the boundless art of colour 
blending. 
The enjoyment to be obtained from a studied survey of autumn 
foliage and berries is not confined to the views noticed in the 
open air, for with such a wealth of materials before us we 
have learned to utilise them for artistic adornment in many ways. 
At the harvest festivals in our churches they, in combination with 
fruit and flowers, are befittingly employed to show the varied 
bounty of Heaven’s gifts, and add a higher touch of beauty to the 
buildings wrought by human hands. In the embellishment of the 
homes of the affluent they also play an important part, and those 
who carry out this kind of work look with pleasure on the autumn 
season, when, by the aid of the rich materials at their command, 
artistic arrangements and unique effects are easily produced. Few 
receptacles are better adapted to displaying branches and shoots of 
autumn foliage than tall trumpet-shaped glasses. We have recently 
been filling such with branches of Beech covered with bright brown 
leaves, long shoots of Dogwood carrying bold crimson foliage, 
graceful plumes of Asparagus dotted with red berries, Ampelopsis 
sprays, and drooping Larch shoots arranged so as to hang in 
thinly disposed festoons of waving lengths over the sides of the 
glass. Specimen blooms of that fine Chrysanthemum Mons. 
R. Bahuant, cut with long stems, and arranged with shoots of 
Dogwood and Berberis aquifolium bearing well coloured leaves, 
have been greatly admired. White Chrysanthemums, or others 
having bronze shades of colour, look exceedingly effective when 
given a background formed of shoots of this Berberis. Indeed, 
the leaves of this useful shrub, obtained from plants growing in 
different positions, exhibit such a great variety of colour that they 
are invaluable for arranging with many flowers of bold type. 
Leaves on the same shoot sometimes vary from a dull bronze to 
bright red. 
Few things are more striking when employed as tracing for 
dinner-table decoration than these coloured leaves, as they are 
bold and distinct in outline as well as beautiful in colour. Shoots 
of the common Plane tree about the middle of October we find 
very useful for mingling with other foliage, the pale green in the 
centre of the leaves, shaded to light yellow at the edges, supply 
shades of colour which harmonise so well with the richer tints of 
other leaves. I do not remember to have previously seen autumn 
foliage so generally good as it has been this year ; the recent rains 
acting on a warm parched soil seem to have had the effect of 
infusing a glow of colour into leaves which at one time were turn¬ 
ing a rusty brown, quite unattractive when compared with their 
appearance now. A large Horse Chestnut overhanging a lake in 
the park here has during the last fortnight been a picture of 
No. 697.—VoL, XXVII., Third Series. 
surpassing beauty. The groundwork of the leaves is of a bright 
yellow colour. On each side of the ribs streaks of bronzy rod show 
up distinctly ; these streaks are gradually shaded and suffused with 
dull rose and pale pink. The effect produced by this large surface 
of bright, yet exquisitely shaded colours, rivets the attention of 
every beholder. 
The Deciduous Cypress (Taxodium distichum) also contributes 
telling autumn foliage, and is well worthy of planting on that 
account, especially in the vicinity of masses of large specimens of 
the various kinds of Laurels; the bright brown colour of this 
Taxodium is then shown up to the best advantage. For arranging 
with other foliage in a cut state it is also excellent, as its Fern-like 
branches supply the light feathery material needed for mixing with 
bolder foliage. Many other trees and shrubs might be enumerated 
which supply foliage of rich colour to brighten the landscape or 
adorn the interior of “ England’s stately homes.” There is, how¬ 
ever, one member of the vegetable kingdom whose usual place is 
in the precinct of the kitchen garden, which must be mentioned in 
connection with this subject. I refer to the shapely Carrot, the 
coloured tops of which can vie in beauty at the present season with 
the fronds or leaves of the choicest exotic. The great diversity of 
colour to be found in Carrot tops renders them especially suitable 
for mixing with flowers of all shades. We frequently place a 
groundwork of them in large bowls of low glasses, and then dot 
among them trusses of Madame Crousse Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, 
which combination is both novel and pleasing. The rose-coloured 
flowers of Anemone japonica, and others of similar shades, as well 
as all white ones, are also exceedingly effective when loosely 
arranged with these beautifully coloured Fern-like leaves. I ought 
previously to have mentioned that shoots of the various varieties 
of Ghent Azaleas have now some of the most brilliantly coloured 
leaves to be met with, which render the beds occupied with them 
almost as showy as when in flower. When shoots are employed 
for decorative purposes in a cut state I find the leaves adhere to 
them until quite withered, and last a long time in good condition. 
Cut only those shoots which have no central flower bud, otherwise 
the beauty of blossoming time will be much curtailed. 
Turning to the many forms of autumn berries we find the 
various species and varieties of Crataegus produce them in 
abundance. Perhaps the most showy among them are the clusters 
of bright scarlet ones borne on the branches of C. pyracantha. 
These are well adapted for arranging with the paler-tinted leaves, 
judiciously intermixed with others of deep green, a few Grasses 
afterwards being added to give lightness and finish. The common 
Hawthorn, C. oxyacantha, is this year loaded with “ haws.” Large 
branches may frequently be cut from trees and hedgerows without 
injury to either. These look particularly well if placed in tall 
trumpet-shaped glasses. They should be thinly disposed, and 
allowed to hang well over the sides ; the arched branches then 
exhibit their natural grace, and do not require associating with other 
materials to display them to the best advantage. The rich purple 
berries of the common Privet, bright scarlet “ hips'’ of the Dog 
Rose, large dark coloured clusters of Elder berries, each in turn 
prove welcome for indoor adornment. Euonymus europmus (the 
Spindle Tree), with its long elegant branches on which rose-scarlet 
berries are freely produced, yields the palm to none in its appro¬ 
priateness for basket and vase decoration. It is deserving of more 
extended cultivation, for it thrives in dry stony places where many 
other things do not. In some parts of the country the Spindle 
Tree grows abundantly in the hedgerows, and is very beautiful. 
With the materials already alluded to dwelling rooms may be 
made bright and attractive without employing a single flower, though 
when foliage, berries, and flowers are each used the highest artistic 
effects are produced, but at the present season I always like to 
arrange one basket or vase in each room entirely with foliage and 
berries, as they seem to mark the progress of the waning year.— 
H. D UNKIN, Castle Gardens, Warwick. 
No. 236.S.—VOL. LXXXIX., OLD Series. 
