Evening star., 1909-05-29
IN USE OF FLOWERS
EFFECT OF PRETTY BLOSSOMS
SPOILED BY CRowDING.
Let the Stems Be Long and Let Some
of the. Foliage Show-Tips
on the Vases.

4 losc loI AOWcISs yet V0Ty lew HdNc lAS
natural instinct for arranging them effec-
| lively? The dear old lady who received
a loose cluster of roses, fresh from her
neighbor's garden, did not love them any
the less dearly because she squeezed
| them up into a tight. little mass and
crowded them into vase several sizes
too small for them, although this ruthless
treatment caused cold chills to run up
and down the back of the generous
donor.
| And not every woman who has gar
den knows how to make the best use OF
its lovely blossoms. for she too often fills
her house with flowers gathered with
| out discrimination, and badly arranged.
The effect, far. from being beautiful, Is
tawdry.
set in vase which reveals the full
length of its stem than in dozen held
| closely together, and every vestige OF
green carefully suppressed. An arrange
! ment Of two or three ong-stemmed dow
| ers, such as roses, danodfls. narcissus,
| iris, chrysanthemums, and the like, is
| always charming: while small blossoms
with fine delicate stems are better IN
masses, but always lightly done, never
crowded.
Do Not Confuse Colors.
A safe rule to follow is to keep each
color and variety by itself, for any but
an artist is apt to be unsuccessful In the
combination of either. Mgnonette ana
| sweet alyssum are perhaps safe excep-
| tions. for they harmonize perfectly with
pansies, verbenas and the smaller varie-
ties of roses.
Simplicity in the flower holder Is more
greatly to be desired than elaborate ele-
gance Hyacinth glasses-the untinted
ones-and the clear crystal bowls which
come in various sizes for goldfish are Al
ways good. because they are fnconspicu-
of more costly vases. and no better deco
ration could be desired than the stems
so easily seen through the clear glass
These holders are far better suited TO
seems more in harmony with hothouse
products.
Pottery in the dull shades and brass
and copper bowls produce striking effects
when filled with certain flowers which
are commonplace in an ordinary vase.
Marigolds or cOreopsis massed in a cop
per jar make a somber room positively
radiant. Goldenrod Is never so effective
brass. The color OF the pottery should
not conflict with the flowers. Green is
good with most colors; blue Is not effect
I've except when used for yellow blossoms:
the gray ware OF the japanese shops, and
violets are lovely in squatty little bowls
of pale yellow or brown.
The natural growth of the blooming
plant should be simulated as nearly as
possible when arranging the cut blossoms
A single flower taken from mass Of
luxuriant bloom In the garden-cosmos
golden glow, coreopsis. or saivia-and
placed in a vase, would be awkward and
silly. These, obviously, should be used In
profusion and little foliage is necessary
except the. leaves which grow on the
flower stems Nasturtiums. probably the
most popular of all garden flowers, and
the most abused 30 far as their arrange
ment when cut is concerned. require q
great deal of foliage to set them off.
Complaint is often made that nasturtium
leaves wilt too easily; but. unless they
are picked when the hot sun Is on them.
the blossoms. A few branches OF the
trailing variety are a graceful addition to
the nasturtium bouquet, and the enect
should always be low.
Sweet Peas In Glass.
Sweet peas are never pretty in anything
but glass, as the delicate stems seen
through the crystal give the necessary
touch OF green to set off the blossoms.
The round bowls with small, narrow
openings are best, because they hold the
bunch firmly and yet allow free play to
both stems and flowers SO that the effect
is never stiff. Sweet peas. If picked in
the late evening and placed In water to
await their final arrangement until morn
ing, will stay fresh much longer. 1t Is
better to place all flowers in water as
soon after cutting as possible for many
varieties will not revive at all II they
become wilted.
Massive jugs and odd-shaped jardinieres
are best for holding lilacs and hydran-
geas, with their woody stems and heavy
heads.
1t is difficult to give anything but con-
yentional arrangement to geraniums, they
are SO stiff A charming centerpiece for
the table can be made by massing rad
ones with their own foliage in cut glass
bowl. In the center of this stand q tall
vase, in which are placed q few gera-
NUNS and long spikes of red saliva.
If given too much room and plenty OF
water daisies have most annoying fash
Ion Of Strengthening out their stems to
uncompromising stiffness and hugging up
closely together, no matter how loose and
graceful their original arrangement. One
strip any of the foliage from the stems.
for 1T tends to hold the flowers away from
each other; cut the stems OF even length
and put only enough water In the jar to
cover them to the depth of an inch. The
water will need to be renewed frequently.
1t is from the Japanese, who are past
masters In the art, that we have les rned
the beauty of a single flower in tall.
SleIlQeT vase, AHu OI d DTdHCH tWV ul
Towering shrub. In the spring. If one
has access to the woods. there ID plenty
of material with which to experiment.
In order to obtain the desired effect
with a few flowers in wide-mouthed jar,
many epntrivances are sold in the shops.
Nothing is better for stir-stemmed hlos-
SONS than the perforated frogs of iron
which hold the stems firmly yet easily.
Clusters Of wire In graduated lengths.
each wire topped with q ring, are good
for delicate stems and are ineenspicuous
In crystal vases Handsome low silver
receptacles to be used as centerpieees
come with perforated tops, and one can
buy open-meshed wire-holders In various
sizes. For large jars with wide openings.
very satisfactory stem-helders can be
made by cutting smaIl-mesbed wire net
ting little larger than the mouth OF the
jar and bending down the edges.
Fresh water should be given every day
To cut flowers in the house and the tips of
the stems cut off. A little salt In the
water will sometimes help to lengthen the
life OF the blossoms. They will always
keep longer If placed where they can get
fresh air when the house is closed for the
night
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