The Washington herald., 1911-11-13
FLORAL PALACE
OPENS TOMORROW
0. D. Blackstone Carries Out
His Ideals.
LAST WORD IN FLOWER SHOPS
EnterprisInE Merchant Bids Lovers
of the Beautiful to what La
Practically a New Emporium.
-Four Days to BE Given Over to
Reception and Initial Display.

Marking a new era In the floral business
OF the National Capital and conspicuous
as a successful achievement in the ca.
reer Of a self-made business man OF
| Washington, the formal opening of z
D. Blackistone's new flower palace al
Fourteenth and H streets northwest to.
morrow afternoon will attract thousands
Of the Districts lovers of the beautiful
Notable because 1t represents the COM
pletion OF what is accepted as an ideal
flower shop among the leading florists
of the United States, the opening also
will be interesting because 1t is the cul-
nination of plans formed more than ten
years ago, in the mind OF Mr.. Black
istone.
Decorative scheme AmazeS.
Artists whose vision included only the
beautiful have viewed the elegant scheme
OF design, with It's colonial predominance
Of white and French gray. severely plain
pillars, delicate lattice, and huge mir
rors, climaxed with q tiny balcony osten-
sIbly intended only for decorative pur-
poses. but in reality planned as an
ONCE.
Business men whose glance Travelled
hurriedly over the beauties of the shop
10 dwell upon its situation in the heart
OF the business section, its spacious
floors, splendid lighting. features OF con-
venience for employees and patrons alike,
and 800 square feet OF window display
have inspected the new floral emporium.
1t is noteworthy that those OF both ar
tistic and commercial tendencies have
unanimously placed their stamp OF APP
provaI upon Mr.. Blackistone's latest
achievement and declared II the last word
in modern and costly flower shops.
Exhibit VIII Dazzle.
When the doors are thrown wide to-
morrow afternoon, at o'clock. the pub
lie will enter to gaze upon a flower ex-
hibit which will take rank with the
most beautiful ever seen in Washington.
Conspicuous in the display will be two
score varieties Of chrysanthemums. in
GLIDING those of the size of "a button and
graduating to those as large as a cab
bage. in every color in which the flower
is grown.
All varieties of orchids that can be
grown in the autumn will be shown, as
well as other flowers too numerous to
mention. The opening will be In the
form Of a public reception, and TO the
women guests will be given unique cor
sages, while the men each will be favor
ed with a boutonniere. The shop will be
open all day and the reception will be
held from early afternoon until late in
the evening.
The opening will continue Wednesday,
Thursday, and Friday, and in the four
days OF reception Mr.. Blackstone ex-
poets to greet within the portals OF his
shop nearly all flower lovers in the city.
His name alone has come in the last
few years to represent quality in flowers
and his patrons include the most desir-
able in Washington.
Mr.. BIackistone's Career.
teen years old, came to Washington from
Southern Maryland, and began his quest
for success. He tried numerous voca-
lions, but met with little encouragement
until he began the scientific study of
flowers and the florist business. For
seven years he gave himself thorough
training in every branch of the business
he had chosen as the field of his llfe's
work.
In September. 1892 he graduated from
his course of self-instruction under the
tutelage of a successful florist and en-
tered the business for himself in a little
shop at 81 Fourteenth street across from
his present establishment. He remained
In the little store only year, and then
moved to the northwest corner OF Four
teenth ond H streets, where he has re-
manned.
Business associates laughed at him for
taking the corner, predicting his failure
within six months At that time there
was not a business house In H between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, board
lighthouses and residences holding sway
The success which has attended Mr..
Blackstone has shown the wisdom of
his judgment.
Since he entered the business there has
been a radical change in the method of
conducting It. Time was when the florist
had his own greenhouses and tried to
raise every variety Of flower and plant,
succeeding little in any one variety.
Now each grower specializes and sells the
best that can be grown to the retailer
who places the flowers before the public.