Evening star., 1951-02-19
Recreoting WA|;on7sburg|s 'Buxom Bouquets


ing the branches OF leaves and
with them tracing the outline of
the desired shape of the bouquet.
Next, the other materials are
gradually filed in, working from
the top down to the base. There
the most solid flowers, such as
the strawfowers. princes plumes
and yarrow. are massed, with the
lighter pearly everlasting and
sea lavender above.
White is used a great deal both
as filler and to tighten the whole
arrangement. For this purpose, !,
quantities of boneSet, pearl, ever
lasting and saltbush are effective.
White is used as the chief filler in
making the red tone arrangements
and goldenrod for the predom-
inantly yellow ones. Much ma
terial is needed for even one full
arrangement, Mrs. Fisher advises.
Further data on the flowers and
plants that can be effectively COM
bined in winter arrangements are
included in Mrs. Fishers book as
well as information on flower ar
ranging. in the manner of Co.
lonial Williamsburg, for the other
seasons of the year.
Mrs. Fisher uses only one ac-
cessory in her work-a heavy,
criss-cross square flower holder for
shallow bowls which enables her
to keep the flowers in place until
the basic shape is outlined.
Mrs. Fisher first came to Will
liamsburg in 1880, when her hus-
band became head of the. depart
ment of languages of the College
of William and Mary. She ar
rived with one truck of furniture
and as much of her small garden
in Ashland, Va. as she could
crowd into two other trucks.
She became a hostess in Raleigh
Tavern and then was asked to
take over the responsibility for
flower arrangements.
She soon learned that visitors
expected authenticity in all things
when they visited the then-new
project. Why was she using grape
fruit in a Colonial setting when
the fruit was unknown to the
Colonists, she was asked? And how
could she justify the use of
dahliaS?
So the question of which flow-
ers could be properly included in
the arrangements became her re-
sponsibility, too. Old Illustrations
proved the most valuable source
of information. A cutting garden
was established and today over 200
kinds of ANIMALS, perennials, bulbs
and shrubs are at her disposal. In
addition she draws heavily on the
wild native plants. AS much as
possible. she grows modern vari-
etieS of plants that she believes
most nearly resemble the flowers
cultivated in Colonial days.
Mrs. Fishers choice of flowers
depends not only on their setting
but also on the container she
uses, she explains. Actual antiques
in great variety were made avail
able to her. The collection in
cludes vases and bowls of china,
pottery. pewter. brass and ala
baster; wooden cups, a glass COB
let, bricks and fingered posy
holders.
Her favorites are the pairs of
English delft bricks" Instead
of having the usual open top the
bricks are inclosed. Small round
holes around a larger hole in the
center pierce the top and support
the stems well.
Another holder, brass Moneith,
named for its designer, was in
tended originally as a punch bowl,
with the decoration around the
upper edge serving both as an
ornament and as a place to hang
the punch cups. Among the most
useful and satisfactory containers
in the collection is an old Wor-
cester soup tureen, she adds
Flowers rarely fail to look par
ticularly happy in almost all
tureens," she believes.
Fruit, Mrs. Fisher feels, is not
used to the advantage it might be
in the harvest months. Fruit, of
course has not the sentimental or
romantic hold on our affections
that flowers possess" she comedies.
"Yet I feel that as colorful dec
Grafton it is superb. you have only
to see how it glows with rich color