FOR THE GIRLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 78, 2 April 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOR THE GIRLS.

THE FLOWER CORNER. A PRETTY IDEA. I My Dear Girls,— I happened on a lovely idea that came all the way from old Japan ancl I am so thrilled with it that I am going to try it out. It is a flower corner. Have you ever seen one? I don't mean at flower shows, but in a house? Flower arranging in Japan is a paying profession for girls. Just as you learn to play the piano, Japanese girls take lessons from artists in flower arranging flower decoration. They spend many years learning, pass examinations and gain diplomas. And can anyone arrange flowers with the fairylike grace of the Japanese? In t Japanese room there is nearly always a "tokonoma," which is an alcov« with the floor raised a few inches higher than that of the rest of ths 'room. On the wall at the back hangs a picture, about six feet long by three feet wide. In front is a stand on which is placed the single vase of flower*. The Japanese have very few things in a room, so whatever is in it shows up well. Little Miss Yuki San changes her ornaments and pictures with the different seasons. In the spring she .will place a picture of a cherry or plum tree to make a background for the flowers in the vase. When spring mergei; into summer the picture is one of a waterfall or the sea, or perhaps cool-l:>oking mountains. Then she changes her cushions and ornaments or any thing else that can be changed. The summer flowers are arranged in bowls, just a few, with plenty of water so you can see the pretty coloured pebbles at the bottom. The flowers are sprayed daily with a very fine syringe, so little beads of water stay on them all day to keep them fresh and cool-looking. They seem to think of everything. Would it not be a lovely idea to have a flower corner in your room instead of scattering them at random all over the place? Flowers look to much more effective in a proper setting. Choose a corner that will catch the eye of everyone entering the room and keep it just for flowers. You will find you will enjoy your pictures ever so much better if y OII chance them occasionally. In your corner hang a picture appropriate to the season, which should not be difficult in New Zealand, which is nearly as lavishly supplied with flowers as the land of the Rising Sun. A shelf or two each side of the picture would be useful for ornaments or hanging plants. Of course you must have a table for your plants. One handsome vase of flowers always looks more effective than several small ones, and one kind of flower than mixed ones. I hear you saying, "But there are so many delicate flowers ivi the spring that would be spoiled if they were massed together." Well, have one tall vase with pussy willow, and in front shallow bowls of primroses nestling among their cool, green, crinkly leaves. To me there is no lovelier sight than a deep blue bowl filled with pale yellow primroses. Here we are at the beginning of autumn and soon the lovely chrysanthemum, that emblem of old Japan, will bo bursting into bloom. What & g gorgeous flower to try out a flower corner with. » JpLAA You will soon think out all sorts of fascinating f 1 colour ■ schemes for it. I hope you will enjoy experimenting with yours, as I shall with mine.