Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-26
NATURE In WINTER
BY d. C. PEATTK

some Of the breeders and fanciers I'M
doubleday have influence But It Is
often many years, sometimes 20 or 30,
before the buying public changes It's
mind and takes up some variety that
clever breeder may have created
lie would not buy any sort of mum"
except hard cannon-balls Of solid
color, gold for receptions and churches,
white for weddings and funerals. Now
the ten-dollar solid bomb has gone out,
with iron stays on the lawns and coach
horses The public wants (and shows
its good sense thereby the gorgeous
tousled heads Of the Sea-anemone types
and there are even some enlightened
souls who will buy single chrysanthe-
NUNS healthy sign Of good taste,
since the singles" are genuine flowers
with q natural symmetry, while the
doubles" are in reality freaks Of ma
ture, sterile, incapable Of reproducing
except by artificial aid, and preteu-
tious.
Straw Flowers.
Not the only house flowers for Win
ter are the chrysanthemum and poin.
settia, for even before the Spring bulbs
can be forced, like freesias and the
little Chinese. narcissus, there Is one
CHESS Oh uOWcLS bAlotS AAkC tA1c CAAJo0h~
themum, looks back to the old year in.
stead of forward to the next Spring.
which for me has more enchantment
than all the others put together. Col"
lectively they call them Straw-fiowers,
but actually these everlasting or Win
ter-b0uqlet plants ere Of many shapes
and colors and drawn from many
families Of plants having no relation
to each other. ~
There Is no excuse in the present
enlightened era for monotony or lack
Of imagination In the world OF flowers
and no Winter bouquet should lift its
head that does not have Statice. or sea-
lavender, in 1t, In colors Of white, lilac,
purple. blue, and yellow, Is well ~
the related Limonium, which looks like
baby,s breath incased In ice. These in
addition, Of course, to the old standbyS
usually meant by the word straw-doweT,
which Is, botanically Helichrysum. In
addition there are some enchanting
amaranths and cockscombs in pastel
shades (not the crude raw yellows and
the grasses grow more beautiful the
deader they are.
Nothing that you can bring into o
room win give 1t the combination Of
airy grace and sprightliness linked with
dignity, which q dainty basket OF
straw-nowers imparts. They will create
the impression that you have quantities
Of Chippendale and old Colonial silver
and crystal, not to mention mirrors.
rain-drop chandeliers and family por.
traits by Stuart or Peel. The same ef-
feet. you may say, can be produced By
any pretty flowers, but deny It v1goe-
ously: flowers have as much personality
- people, OF more.
There are right and wrong things h
do with Straw-nowers. In the first place
they should never be put In water. In.
stead, the stems should be thrust IN
clear sand or pebbles. and kept dry
Secondly, the look bad, very bad,
in vases, and should only be used In
basketS-the old fashion posey-basket
type, with q shallow well, flowing sides
and q handle. Thirdly, tumble your
colors and shapes boldly, avoid monot-
ony of tone, Of length Of stem, Of form
And finally. baskets Of straw-nowers are
best used in twos placed formally on o
sideboard set with silver plate, or on
each side Of mirror or clock.