House and Garden 
Illustration No. 6 is that of a Japanese flower holder. 
This receptacle is so unique and unusual in every way 
that it at once meets with approval. It is simply a 
circle of heavy glass one and one half inches thick, in 
which there have been a number of holes drilled. 
In each hole you place a flower stem or stems accord¬ 
ing to the size of the flowers you are arranging. 
Then after you have finished, place the glass in almost 
any low dish. In the 
picture here given 
it was p 1 aced in 
an empty fernery. 
One great advan¬ 
tage this vase has 
over all others is 
that the flowers 
have every appear¬ 
ance of growing 
plants, all but two 
inches of stem being 
visible. Where we 
are arranging for a 
wedding and want 
to decorate a man¬ 
tel, this circular 
flower holder. No. 
5, is especially ar- 
t i s t i c . This is 
composed of a wire 
form, to which is 
attached at inter¬ 
vals, small nickel 
holders, which sup¬ 
port glass vases. 
When filled the 
form and glass 
vases are almost in¬ 
visible and unless we 
are familiar with 
this style of flower 
holder, we stand and 
as we admire the 
charming effect, we 
are apt to question 
how it was accom¬ 
plished. The first 
illustration shows a 
similar holder, only instead of being arranged on a 
circle for placing around a mirror or picture, it has 
been arranged on a straight bar for there are many 
times when this form is desirable, as for either side 
of a doorway, to suspend from a picture moulding 
or to fill up a vacant wall space. 
The illustrations. Nos. 2, 3 and 4, show a new 
style fernery or flower holder. Some people are much 
more successful with ferns in single pots, than they 
are when they are planted in a fernery. Then again 
some prefer the ferns arranged individually, thinking 
that when we combine them we lose the effect of 
the individual fern. Therefore, for these people 
this little fern holder is quite useful and very dainty. 
One point worth knowing in arranging flowers 
is that the beauty of a vase of flowers is always 
enhanced by placing it near a mirror. The 
reflection of the flowers in a glass always height¬ 
ens the artistic effect. To paint a picture to produce 
a really fine effect on 
canvas requires tal¬ 
ent inborn and God- 
given. The seed of 
this talent lying dor¬ 
mant, may be awak¬ 
ened and developed 
to most glorious and 
wonderful propor¬ 
tions:—but without 
the divine spark it 
can never be crea¬ 
ted. The artist with 
his brush catches the 
beauty of the sub¬ 
ject and transfers it 
in all its delicacy of 
natural coloring and 
charm of composi¬ 
tion to the canvas, 
to remain perhaps 
for centuries. So 
with the grouping 
of flowers. One 
must first have an 
appreciation of their 
beauties and a love 
for them. But the 
ability to produce 
the really beautiful 
and picturesque by 
variety of arrange¬ 
ment and harmony 
of colors is one 
which may be large¬ 
ly developed by 
study and experi¬ 
mentation. Study 
the habits of vines 
- the manner in which they naturally hang or festoon 
themselves when growing under most favored condi¬ 
tions. Study the natural growth of the many varieties 
of flowers commonly used for decorative purposes. 
See how their effectiveness is heightened in most 
cases by the background of masses of foliage. Make 
note that this rose is of an upright habit while that one 
has a graceful drooping tendency, and in your ar¬ 
rangements endeavor to display your flowers in an 
attitude as nearly simulating that assumed in grow'^th 
as is consistent with the governing conditions. 
A Mirror Backing Heightens the Effect 
30 
