December  21,  1899, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
!  49 
DECORATING  A  DINNER  TABLE  AT 
CHRISTMAS  TIME. 
Holly  and  Mistletoe  are  indissolubly  associated  with  Christmas 
festivities,  and  in  all  the  decorative  work  carried  out  at  this  season 
they  are  usually  introduced  with  more  or  less  profusion,  sometimes 
with  success  in  regard  to  effect,  at  others  the  prevailing  idea  seems  to 
be  use  bright  berries  and  glossy  leaves  in  abundance  rather  than  to 
display  taste  in  the  arrangement.  A  true  echo  this  of  the  Christmas 
Days  of  old. 
In  decorating  a  dinner  table  on  Christmas  Day,  it  should,  I  think, 
never  be  considered  complete  without  the  introduction  of  Holly  leaves 
and  berries,  and  although  when  these  and  Mistletoe  are  exclusively 
employed  pleasing  combination  may  be  made,  yet  with  the  utmost  skill 
in  arrangement  the  effect  is  somewhat  stiff  when  compared  with 
arrangements  in  which  flowers  and  other  greenery  are  also  inter¬ 
mixed.  When  the  latter  plan  is  followed  the  leaves,  shoots,  and 
berries  should  be  employed  to  form  the  groundwork,  and  the  flowers 
and  foliage  to  give  a  light  surface.  In  many  establishments  where 
there  is  a  quantity  of  valuable  plate,  gardeners  have  to  use  it  at  such 
times  for  arranging  their  material  in,  although  they  are  in  most 
instances  far  too  heavy  in  appearance  to  get  the  light  well  balanced 
effect  required  to  suit  the  good  taste  which  now  prevails.  When 
small  specimen  glass  and  taller  flower  stands,  as  well  as  pretty  china 
ornaments,  are  pressed  into  service,  excellent  arrangements  may  be 
made,  but  in  all  instances  I  like  to  see  whatever  receptacles  are  used 
deftly  arrayed  at  the  base  with  foliage,  flowers,  and  berries,  so  that 
the  arrangement  forms  a  complete  whole,  instead  of  a  disunited  number 
of  atoms.  My  favourite  method  of  carrying  out  this  kind  of  work, 
however,  is  to  do  away  with  all  such  receptacles — excepting  in  some 
instances  a  light  trumpet  shaped  glass  for  a  centre — and  let  all  the 
materials  spring  from  the  cloth. 
I  will,  therefore,  briefly  detail  a  method  of  decorating  a  table  for 
Christmas  Day  which  I  trust  will  be  helpful  to  some.  For  a  central 
object  a  well  grown  plant  of  Cocos  Weddelliana  or  Cyperus  alternifolius 
is  suitable.  Place  either  in  a  circular  or  oval  shaped  tin  from 
9  to  12  inches  in  diameter,  and  2  inches  in  depth,  and  fill  in 
with  damp  sand.  Surround  the  tin  with  a  little  moss,  then  edge  in 
an  irregular  manner  with  shoots,  leaves  and  berries  of  Holly  and 
Mistletoe.  A  few  growths  should  be  wired  so  as  to  be  able  to  “  set 
them  up”  here  and  there  to  avoid  stiffness.  Do  not  make  a  formal 
outline,  but  bring  out  prominent  projections  here  and  there.  At  other 
suitable  points  place  small  plants  (turned  out  of  the  pots)  of  Cocos, 
Cyperus,  or  Carex  japonica  variegata;  place  little  mounds  of  moss 
around  these,  then  proceed  to  connect  all  plants  by  a  light  tracing ; 
small  shoots  of  well-berried  Holly  and  detached  leaves  serve  the 
purpose  admirably.  I  seldom  attempt  any  set  plan  for  such  tracing, 
but  arrange  the  materials  to  loot  like  a  continuous  light  spray,  with 
irregularities  here  and  there,  always  avoiding  heaviness,  and  varying 
the  ramifications  as  much  as  possible  instead  of  making  them  “  match  ” 
at  certain  points,  a  practice  which  so  many  consider  imperative.  The 
groundwork  being  finished,  the  flowers  can  then  be  quickly  arranged, 
Scarlet  Tulips,  “  Geraniums,”  Poinsettias,  or  a  mixture  of  one  or 
other  of  these,  and  Roman  Hyacinths  form  a  pleasing  combination. 
When  Poinsettias  are  employed  they  must  be  arranged  thinly, 
making  every  bunch  tell,  and  employ  small  Cyperus  or  Carex  shoots, 
as  well  as  Fern  fronds  and  Grasses  between.  Some  of  the  smaller 
bracts  look  well  when  fixed  slightly  above  the  moss  surrounding  the 
small  plants ;  they  can  easily  be  so  fixed  by  the  use  of  stout  wires. 
Tulips  and  Hyacinths  work  in  splendidly  together.  Use  them  with 
the  bulbs  attached,  mount  some  of  them  on  thin  stakes  inserted  in 
the  sand  placed  in  the  central  line,  uge  others  without  mounting, 
arrange  thinly,  and  fix  a  few  spikes  of  Hyacinths  between;  also  let 
a  few  spring  from  the  irregular  tracing  around  the  tin,  then  employ 
Fern  fronds  to  hide  the  mounting,  and  Grasses  and  shoots  to  lighten. 
Place  other  flowers  at  the  base  of  all  plants  on  the  table;  it  is  easy 
to  set  others  up  in  the  moss  by  the  aid  of  a  few  wires.  Sometimes 
only  two,  three,  or  even  one  are  required  ;  but  in  each  case  finish  the 
base  with  Fern,  and  aim  to  have  bits  of  colour  springing  up  here  and 
there,  so  that  the  whole  appears  well  balanced.  A  single  Tulip  inserted 
here  and  there  along  the  tracing  looks  pretty  ;  a  tiny  piece  of  moss  to 
hide  the  bulk,  an  extra  leaf  or  two,  and  a  few  berries  are  all  that  are 
needed  to  give  finish.  In  some  instances  in  the  lighter  parts  of  the 
tracing  a  flower  can  be  wired  to  the  Holly  shoots,  and  fixed  in  quite  a 
natural  manner.  If  on  any  part  of  the  table  there  appears  to  be  too 
bare  a  space,  run  out  a  little  natural  branch-like  projection  from  the 
main  tracing,  and  fix  to  it  a  flower  if  it  seems  required,  but  err  rather 
on  the  side  of  lightness  than  in  the  opposite  direction.  A  few  Solanum 
shoots  with  well-coloured  berries  set  up  from  the  groundwork  give  a 
bright  touch,  and  variegated  Holly  leaves  should  be  intermixed  with 
the  green  ones. 
The  above  is  one  of  the  many  arrangements  which  I  have  carried 
out  on  a  large  scale  at  ihe  festive  season,  and  tho-e  who  may  be  led'to 
adopt  it  th:s  year  will,  I  think,  have  every  reason  to  be  satisfied’with 
the  efffct  produced. — H.  D. 
HARDY  BORDER  FLOWERS. 
Anemonopsis  macrophylla. 
This  is  a  very  handsome  plant,  which  makes  its  way  but  slowly 
into  cultivation.  It  is  not  kept  in  stock  by  the  nursery  trade  in 
general,  and  its  being  offered  in  the  catalogues  of  a  few  only,  keeps  it 
from  the  notice  of  a  large  number  of  those  who  care  for  such  plants. 
Anemonopsis  macrophy  11a  is  one  of  the  many  fine  plants  we  owe  to 
Japan,  whence  it  was  introduced  in  1869.  It  is  quite  hardy  in  most 
gardens  in  which  it  has  been  tried  throughout  the  British  Isles.  It 
likes  a  good  loamy  soil,  and  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  too  dry 
in  summer,  although  it  objects  to  excessive  moisture.  In  its  general 
aspect  it  reminds  one  of  Anemone  japonica,  although  it  is  not  quite  so 
large.  The  flowers  may  be  called  lilac,  and  are  produced  in  racemes. 
The  leaves  also  present  some  resemblance  to  those  of  the  Anemone 
already  named.  It  grows  a  little  over  2  feet  high.  It  is  increased  by 
seeds  and  by  division  of  the  root  in  spring.  It  is  a  flower  which  could 
with  advantage  be  more  widely  grown. 
Anthemises. 
There  are  several  Anthemises  or  Chamomiles  which  are  of  service 
in  the  flower  border,  but  none  are  as  valuable  as  the  old  A.  tinctoria, 
the  Dyers’  Chamomile,  whose  Marguerite-like  flowers  are  often  found 
serviceable.  It  is  an  old  native  of  Britain,  and  must  have  been 
grown  in  gardens  for  a  great  number  of  years.  It  seems  almost 
unnecessary  to  give  any  description  of  it  now,  yet  one  finds  that  many 
have  not  the  most  remote  idea  of  what  some  flowers  are  like.  To 
such  it  may  be  said  that  the  Anthemis  resembles  a  yellow  Paris  Daisy 
or  Marguerite,  with  finely  divided  leaves.  Its  usefulness  in  the  garden 
and  for  cut  flowers  has  led  to  an  attempt  to  produce  a  wider  range  of 
colour,  together  with  an  improvement  in  the  form  of  the  original  deep 
yellow  Dyers’  Chamomile. 
This  attempt  has  not  been  in  vain,  and  has  been  far  from  difficult, 
as  the  plant  seems  naturally  sportive  when  introduced  into  gardens. 
From  one  yellow  plant  the  writer  has  raised  several  ranging  from 
white  to  deep  yellow,  and  showing  considerable  difference  in  form. 
The  pure  white  forms  are  perhaps  the  least  appreciated,  as  there  are 
flowers  enough  of  the  same  shape  and  colour  at  that  season.  The  pale 
yellow  varieties  are,  however,  very  pretty.  A.  tinctoria  pallida  is  one 
which  can  be  recommended.  A  good  variety  of  shapely  form  and 
satisfactory  colour  is  A.  t.  Kelwayi,  from  that  noted  garden  at  Lang- 
port  whence  come  so  many  fine  Paeonies  and  other  good  flowers.  Then 
there  is  a  form  called  Canary  Bird,  with  others  varying  in  merit. 
References  have  also  been  made  in  the  gardening  press  to  a  variety 
raised  by  Mr.  Buxton,  of  Coed-Derw,  Bettws-y-Coed,  which  is  an 
almost  continuous  bloomer.  A.  tinctoria  may  be  increased  by  division, 
cuttings,  or  seeds. 
Anthericums. 
The  plants  generally  known  to  hardy  flower  growers  as 
Anthericums  have  been  removed  by  botanists  to  other  names.  For 
garden  purposes  it  will,  perhaps,  be  more  convenient  to  the  reader  to 
speak  of  them  now  rather  than  to  place  them  under  the  names  by 
which  they  are  known  to  botanists. 
The  plant  formerly  known  as  Anthericum  Hookeri  is  better  known 
as  Chrysobactron  Hookeri,  although  it  is  also  called  a  Narthecium. 
It  is  a  pretty  plant  with  Iris-like  leaves  and  spikes  of  pretty  yellow 
flowers.  It  grows  from  1  foot  to  24  feet  high,  according  to  soil  and 
position.  It  likes  a  rather  moist  place,  and  can  be  grown  in  a  bog, 
although  it  also  does  well  in  the  border  if  well  supplied  with  water. 
It  is  a  native  of  New  Zealand,  and  was  introduced  in  1850.  A 
superior  species,  named  C.  Rossi,  is  mentioned  in  some  works.  I  have 
not  met  with  this  under  name,  but  I  think  the  more  vigorous  of  the 
two  forms  grown  under  the  name  of  C.  Hookeri  may  prove  to  be 
C.  Rossi.  These  plants  may  be  increased  by  division. 
The  white-flowered  Anthericums  are  more  properly  Paradisias  or 
Czackias.  They  are  very  beautiful  plants,  which  thrive  best  in  a 
light  but  not  too  poor  soil.  Anthericum  Liliago,  St.  Bernard’s  Lily,  is 
a  desirable  species,  with  pure  white  flowers  in  June,  an  inch  or  more 
across,  and  on  stems  a  foot  to  a  foot  and  a  half  long.  There  is  a 
superior  variety  named  major.  Anthericum  Liliastrum  is  a  still  finer 
plant  with  larger  flowers,  whose  attractions  are  added  to  by  their 
perfume.  The  flowers  are  in  tall  spikes  about  2  or  3  feet  high,  and 
are  about  2  inches  in  width  and  length.  There  are  several  forms  of 
this  fine  St.  Bruno’s  Lily.  That  named  major  is  especially  good.  It 
grows  considerably  taller  than  the  type.  A.  ramosum  or  graminifolium, 
which  grows  about  2  feet  high,  has  smaller  flowers,  and  is,  upon  the 
whole,  less  to  be  desired  than  the  others  named.  These  Anthericums 
may  be  raised  by  seeds  or  increased  by  division. — S.  Arnott. 
