ARRANGEMENT OF BOUQUETS AND VASES.
_Flowers in Churches._
It has been said that a person must possess the “knack”--must have a
taste, an eye for colors--in order to arrange flowers in bouquets,
baskets, etc., artistically. And, doubtless, there is a great deal of
truth in the remark. One who does possess this “knack” can walk through
a garden, gathering the flowers here and there, and arranging them
with a perfect blending of color, which will result in a faultless
bouquet; while another, with the same flowers, fails utterly to produce
a charming effect. So, one sees that the art of flower arranging is too
fine and delicate to be reduced to rules. Yet, there are a few which
may be of use to flower lovers who are not gifted with a truly artistic
eye. All flowers will not mix readily, but are only seen in perfection
when arranged by themselves. Wild flowers will not mingle tastefully
with their cultivated brethren, but must be arranged by themselves. A
bouquet of Laurel is very beautiful; but mingle with it the coral and
topaz bells of the Columbine and you spoil its effect. And Gentians,
Azaleas, May-flowers, and last, but not least, the pearly white Water
Lily, are seen to the best advantage when in clusters by themselves.
Lilies of the Valley require only a background of their own green
leaves, to show forth most charmingly their perfect beauty. Balsams
can only be arranged in flat dishes, with a mingling of Rose Geranium
leaves to add the fragrance which they lack. Sweet Peas, so soft and
liquid in tint, with their exquisite rose colors, purple and browns,
and pearly whites, are ruined if mingled with dazzling Geraniums or
Verbenas. Put them in a tall stemmed glass, and cover them with the
feathery mist of the Oliver, or Gypsophila Muralis, then they will glow
like a sun-set cloud at eve.
Royal Lilies must be placed in tall vases or glasses, and Roses blend
perfectly with them, while Fuchsias will droop lovingly between them.
Give Pansies and Anemones a tiny vase by themselves, and see how
glorious they are. When you have a large basket of flowers to arrange,
make a harmonious blending. Put the celestial blues of the Larkspurs
beside the brilliant scarlets of the Verbenas and Geraniums; then
add the snowy whiteness of some Phlox or Candytuft, and judge for
yourself of the effectiveness of the tri-color. Yellow is very useful
in the vivid arrangement of bouquets and vases. Place it beside the
ruby-red Fuchsias, near to the royal purple Verbenas, and see how it
enhances the brightness of their hues. Among the white Roses, mingle
pink Verbenas or Geraniums; and with royal purple add cream-colored
Stocks or Roses; then fill in with the neutral tints of the Mignonette,
Ageratum, Heliotrope, etc., etc.,--soft and sweet--and they will
heighten the contrast of the more gorgeous hues, yet do not conflict
with them. A Sofrano rose bud, a sprig of Mignonette, a Tuberose, and a
bit of scarlet Verbena, mingled with Heliotrope and sweet Verbena, and
some feathery green leaves, make as perfect a bouquet as one can desire
to see.
If flowers could only pose themselves, it would be a great saving of
trouble to many flower raisers--and doubtless the effect would be
very charming; but this pleasure is denied to them, and our ignorant
fingers put them hither and thither, often in most horrid contrasts and
shadings.
Remember this one rule--never put blue and purple together; never let
crimson and scarlet be in juxtaposition; nor bright pink and scarlet.
Arrange your flowers in shadings of the same color, or in contrasts,
with a plentiful mixture of white and neutral tints. In shading flat
dishes of flowers, place the darkest in the center and shade out to
white.
The present fashion among florists is to arrange bouquets, baskets,
etc., so as to consume as many flowers as possible; and the crowding
together of such quantities produces stiffness and formality--where
lightness and gracefulness should be especially sought for.
The foliage belonging to each plant is, usually, the best adapted to
its peculiar beauty. The Camellia, without its leaves, is a chilly,
cold flower; but combined with its rich, glossy foliage, it produces a
charming effect. The contrast of their perfectly curved lines and their
harmonious substance, reveal the pure beauty of the flower.
Bouquets for the hand should not be composed of solid, heavy flowers,
but of those of delicate structure, and of exquisite fragrance. Such
bouquets naturally undergo close inspection, and they should consist of
rare ferns and bright flowers, intermingled with those that are sweet
as well as lovely. Always place the most gorgeous colors in the center
of bouquet, vase or basket, and shade out into perfect whiteness,
relieved by green foliage.
If you desire to arrange a central piece for a dinner or supper table,
at its base place the feathery leaves of ferns, lycopods, etc., and
twine around the vase light, graceful vines. In the center arrange
scarlet flowers, mingled with blue and white, and edge the vase with
the veined leaves of the Ornamental Foliage Plants. These plants
are very useful in arranging floral devices; they provide the snowy
whiteness and the rich wine-red colors of flowers.
Experience is the best teacher in directing us to arrange our flowers
most advantageously. And we need to heed her teachings in every
department of life.
A lovely dish of flowers can be made out of soup, oyster and preserve
plates. Take the largest sized deep plate your pantry will give, fill
it with scouring sand, thoroughly wet; edge it with the leaves of some
tri-colored Geranium, or with the bright-hued Achyranthus, mingled
with some white flowers--Feverfew, Candytuft, or Sweet Alyssum will
do--cover the stems with another soup plate, not so large, so that the
flowers and leaves will project beyond it; fill it as before directed,
and edge it with some yellow flowers, Chlora, Oxura, Calceolaria--or
any you can select. If the Geranium leaves were used before, mingle
with these the wine-red leaves of the Variegated Plants. Proceed as
before, and place on the edge of the dish bright blue Delphiniums,
Blue Salvia, or the lovely Forget-Me-Not, mingled with sweet-scented
Geranium leaves. In the center add a large cluster of scarlet
Geraniums, Verbenas, etc., mingled with white flowers. A vase of Sweet
Peas can crown the whole; and over it all, mingle the misty Oliver or
Gypsophila Muralis, whose soft veil I deem indispensable. The effect
is truly artistic! Purple flowers can be substituted for the blue,
and you can make your own selection of colors and flowers. The fairy
bells of the Fuchsias are very lovely among the silvery-edged leaves.
Tropæolums mingle prettily with the darker leaves.
A dish of flowers thus arranged will be “a thing of joy” for two or
three days. The sand can be wet every day with tepid water. It will
make a beautiful ornament for a dinner or supper table. Flowers are
always delightful when arranged in the dining room. The wise man of
Queen Elizabeth’s court--the immortal Bacon--never sat at his table
without flowers. In his “Essays,” Leigh Hunt says: “What ornament is
there--what supply of light or beauty could we discover, at once so
exquisite and so cheap, that should furnish our table with a grace
precious in the eyes of the most intelligent?” Set flowers on your
table, a whole nosegay if you can get it, or but two or three, or a
single flower--a rose, a pink, even a daisy, ay, or a bunch of clover
and a handful of flowering grasses, one of the most elegant as well as
the cheapest of nature’s productions--and you will have something on
your table that will remind you of the beauties of God’s creation, and
give you a link with the poets and sages that have done it most honor.
Put but a rose, or a lily, or a violet on your table, and you and Lord
Bacon have a custom in common, for he was in the habit of having the
flowers in season set upon his table, morning, noon and night. The
fashions of the garments of heaven and earth endure forever, and you
may adorn your table with specimens of their drapery--with flowers out
of the fields and golden beams out of the blue ether.
The first new boughs in spring, plucked and put into a vase, have
often an effect that may compete with flowers themselves, considering
their novelty; and indeed, “leaves would be counted flowers if earth
had none.” Does any reader fancy that to help himself to comforts
like these, would be “trifling”? Oh, let him not so condescend to
the ignorance of the proud or envious. If this were trifling, then
was Bacon a trifler, also the great Condé, and the old republican
Ludlow, and all the great and good spirits that have loved flowers,
and Milton’s Adam, nay heaven itself, for heaven made these harmless
elegancies, and blessed them with the universal good-will of the wise
and innocent.
And surely there is nothing more interesting than the world of
flowers. Earth, with seemingly careless prodigality, throws them out,
masterpieces of infinite finish--all different, each perfect.
Nothing in life has afforded so much delight to so many hearts; and
nothing has gladdened and brightened so many eyes!
_Cutting and Preserving Flowers._
Flowers should never be cut during the intense heat of the day, but
either while wet with dew in the early morn, or after sunset, when the
falling dew has revived them.
Do not break them off harshly, but cut them with a knife or scissors;
the former is the best, as it cuts the cleanest, and does not lacerate
the minute tubes which draw up the water that nourishes the flower;
if these pores or tubes are closed up the flower soon withers. I find
sand far cleaner to place them in than pure water; that soon becomes
disagreeable, while the sand can be thoroughly wet every morn, and keep
for weeks with no unpleasant odor about it. If flowers are desired
to be kept a great while, the ends of the stalks should be cut off
a little every time you change the water, and a pinch of saltpetre
and salt tends to prevent their decay. Soap suds, which have been
widely recommended, spoil the flowers very quickly. Warm water will
revive wilted flowers; put the bouquet into water warm to the hand,
let it remain for an hour or more, then cut off the stalks a little
and put into fresh warm water, only lukewarm, and they will brighten
wonderfully.
A few drops of liquid ammonia added to the water are said to revive
faded flowers, but I have never tried the remedy.
If sand cannot be obtained, put a few bits of charcoal in the water, or
fill the vase with them and water, and put the stalks between them; add
fresh water every day, turning out the old, and your flowers will keep
a week or more. Never turn ice water into the vases, it chills the life
out of the flowers--is murder in the first degree. To be sure, the ice
pitcher is always at hand, but keep its contents away from your vases.
Rain water is always the best for watering plants, or for keeping fresh
flowers, and it should be given a little warm, even if the tea-kettle
has to be resorted to to render it so.
While gathering flowers, don’t pick such quantities that some will
wither before they can be placed in water. If you have too many to care
for directly, put them on a tray and sprinkle them with water, then
they will not wither and become limp. Geranium leaves once withered
never regain their fresh beauty, and Pansies once curled up will
never unroll in perfect loveliness. Don’t be chary of picking your
flowers--the more you gather the more you will have. Give them to all
your friends--a bounteous giver is always rewarded. In selecting vases,
don’t buy the gorgeous flowered china ware, or the brilliant Bohemian
glass, but the pure, transparent glass that shows the twining stems
of the flowers, and the ivory white Parian marble, around which the
graceful vines will clasp so tenderly.
Silver and bronze are always beautiful, but a tasteful straw basket,
holding a glass dish filled with flowers, will often produce as lovely
an effect as the precious metals.
_Flowers in Churches._
In adorning the Communion Table or the Font with flowers, we should
select those that are bright and gorgeous, as such colors were used
by the artists of the middle ages, and from time immemorial there has
been a symbolism, especially in religious ceremonies and decorations.
Red is the symbol of Divine love; white, of Divine wisdom; yellow is a
symbol of the revelation of the love and wisdom of God; blue, of Divine
eternity and of human immortality.
Our Puritan forefathers, in fleeing from the persecutions and
ceremonies of an established Church, cast from them all outward
adornments; we, of these later days, desire to see our churches adorned
with the “Green Things of the Earth,” and the practice of adorning our
churches with vases and baskets of flowers is becoming quite universal.
I hope it will spread, until every little village church can boast
of its sweet floral adornments, from the earliest May flowers of the
Spring to the crosses and crowns of “Christmas Greens.”
It is but little labor for several ladies in each congregation to agree
to furnish the flowers. A large marble “tazza” can be purchased either
out of the church funds, or through the benevolence of the rich of the
parish. To fill these every Sunday morn with all that is lovely and
sweet, cannot but be a work of love.
I recall a village church which I once attended, whose pulpit was made
beautiful with large vases of Roses and Spireas, mingled with the
trailing vines of the Money Wort. The old deacon brought them in, with
an half-concealed air of pride, and placed them on each side of the
pulpit cushion, upon which lay the Bible. His daughter arranged them
from the flowers that were in season every week, and he delighted to
carry her floral offering to the Lord, and lay it upon His altar.
“If there is any kind of adornment which more than another seems fitted
to God’s house, it is that thoughtful use of the ‘Green Things of the
Earth.’”
Flowers are the painted sculpturings of nature--the shapes and colors
of beauty, which the Creator has lavished upon the world--and surely
they can never be employed for a better purpose. In the church, flowers
suggest thoughts that are in unison with the occasion, and the time and
care thus bestowed on the adornment of the church are not without their
reward.
Pious thoughts arise while skillful fingers are busy with the work
which, as it is done for the sake of God’s honor, must, from its very
nature, be linked with good to all concerned in it. “Whoso offereth me
praise, glorifieth me.”
“Bring flowers to the shrine where we kneel in prayer,
They are nature’s offering, their place is there!
They speak of hope, to the fainting heart,
With a voice of comfort they come and part;
They sleep in dust through the wintry hours,
They break forth in glory--bring flowers, bright flowers.”