The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-05-11
FLORAL DECORATIONS.
There is an Art In Arranging Flowers
Properly and Naturally.

There is an Art In Arranging Flowers
Properly and Naturally.
The preference for growing plants
for decorative purposes is becoming so
universal that we seldom notice the
subject of bouquets and bouquet-mak-
ing given deserving prominence. While
it is certainly a most sensible idea to
purchase beautiful specimen plants
(which may be enjoyed for many weeks
or even years after the celebration for
which they are intended) for decorat-
ing our parlors or dining tables on spe-
cial occasions, or to present to friends,
it is often desirable to select instead,
handsome bouquet .of tastefully-ar-
ranged blossoms.
Where the purse will allow one to
order repeatedly, the exquisite bou-
quets on which the experienced florist
is eager to display his rare skill and
perfect taste, this subject may seem
of little Importance, but there are
many who delight in using for decora-
tive purposes or for floral offerings,
bouquets from their own private green
houses. In this case the subject of ap-
propriate selections and tasteful ar
rangements becomes vastly interest
ing.
The art of arranging flowers grace
plishment, and one that is worth care
full study. Remember that graceful
ness and naturalness should be our
aim, and not artistic arrangement. If
the word artistic is used to indicate
that perfect degree of art in which no
art is visible, but everything looks so
simple and natural that it could hard
ly be imagined other than what it is,
we could not employ more suita BILE
term. But the bouquet usually sup
posed to be artistically arranged is in
almost every case decidedly stiff, and
unlike any collection of blossoms in art
or nature.
1t is claimed that the Russian and
German women far surpass the En-
glish in their many modes of weaving
flowers into household decorations,
and that flowers are too often regarded
by us as mere accessories In France
and Germany the wreaths and bou-
quets are especially charming, and
there is not toilet without its appro-
pirate flower parure-no family fete in
Germany without it's graceful door
wreaths, its garlanded picture frames
and its coronals of flowers, all arranged
with the most perfect harmony in re.
gard to their surroundings.
With us, on the other hand. there
often seems to be but slight connection
between the flowers and their sur
roundings, and it is certain that many
who are fond of flowers, and have
studied their characteristics, often
make the common mistake of choosing
such as are either in form or color quite
unsuited to the articles which they are
intended to decorate; in arranging our
vases, decorating our tables or select
ing our corsage bouquets we should
always have in mind regard for the
general harmony. This is of first i'm
portance in decorating with cut flow
ers, and after making a judicious choice
of flowers that will harmonize with
their immediate environments, we
should next consider the best method
of cutting and arranging them, and
then how to keep them from fading
prematurely. Ideas will suggest them
selves as we work among the plants,
and we soon find ourselves ambitious
to produce some especially attractive
decoration tnat will illustrate our pet
Observation-Disclosures Press.