Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-20
FASHIONS IN FLOWERS.
Elegant Simplicity, Rather Than Cor
SeOus Display. is Desirable.

The flowers for the Gould Castellane
wedding cost $3.50. 1t was the greatest
floral display that has been made in New
York for many years. Nevertheless, a
writer for The Star is informed by persons
of authority in such matters that the
flowers at this Very gilt-edged hymeneal
celebration We're overdone. There were too
many CT them-such masses of bloom, in
fact as to render impossible a high artistic
effect. The walls of one drawing room
We're entirely covered with roses. This
was accomplished by erecting frames of
wire from floor to ceiling, in which the
blossoms were stuck. When the ceremony
was performed the bride and groom stood
in front of a background of lilies-of- the
valley, the latter being arranged in a
similar fashion.
The principal disadvantage of this method
of treating flowers is that they are injured
in the process OF arrangement They have
to be handled too much, and many of them
are, III consequence, half-faded by the time
The work is done. 1t is the same way with
baskets and other contrivances of flowers
with a basis of wire, and for this reason
partly such devices have gone Que of use
within tie last few years to great extent
When they are employed, furthermore,
each blosso m has to he separately wired
and suffers injury in the operation.
Thus, backgrounds and like displays of
massed flowers have ceased to be used
An exception is the canopy of blossoms,
which is always feature of wedding
among Hebrews. Probably the floral bell
being associated Intimately with the folk
lore Of matrimony. will always survive.
but at present it is more fashionable to
have whole chime of bells-half a dozen
OF more-tied together with ribbons. The
fad just now is to combine ribbons with
flowers. 1t has been rather long in reach
ing this country. having been all the go"
for several years in Paris, where it origin
ated.
The accepted fashion in flowers today is
the empire style, in which superb
punches of roses other blooms are as
scciated with green garlands and wide
ribbons with great bows. 1t is not eN-
pensive, comparatively speaking owing to
the large amount of smilax and other
g1eonery that is introduced. Elegant sim
plicity is demanded, rather than gorgeous
and costly effects. In this respect the
mode has undergone quite a change within
the last few years. More attention is paid
to the artistic arrangement Of flowers.
The floral artist, having undertaken a Job
gees first of all to the house that is to be
decorated and inspects it, in order to de-
termine what kind of display will be best
suited to the rooms.
Naturally. some people go in for guam
tity when they buy flowers. while others
prefer gu slity. At this season roses may
be purchased for $50 per 1000, while
American beauties cost 81 apiece.
Florists are paying less attention to the
cultivation of the American beauty than
formerly. Though no rose is more ex-
cuisite, 1T has the Disadvantage of not
blooming very freely. Obviously. a kind of
rose that will yield $50 blossoms in sea-
sen is far better worth the attention Of
the grower, other things being equal. than
a variety yielding only fifty blooms. The
demand in this country is for large roses
Of fine color on long stems. Abroad, on
the other hand, the best market is for
small roses that are profuse boomers.
Fer this reason in France and England the
tea" roses are the greatest favorites.
What florists in this country are trying to
obtain is rose that shall be free bloom
er, while possessing the advantages of the
American beauty in respect to size and
color. OF course perfume must be con-
sidered also.
Fashions in flowers are started in trifling
ways. Joseph Chamberlain gave popu-
larity to a particular kind of orchid for the
buttonhole. Just at present a foreign
count, attached to one of the legations in
Washington, has standing order at a
local florists for a boutonniere, which is
sent to him every evening. 1t Is composed
of four white carnations and three pink
carnations. The combination may be all
the StNle q season or two hence.