PRACTICAL DINNER-TABLE. DECORATIONS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8696, 19 January 1894, Page 2

PRACTICAL DINNER-TABLE. DECORATIONS.

Bt Mb H DcnkiN. J fßead at a meeting ot the>E*Unß Gardener' Improvement Society. J I have prefixed tbe title of this paper by tlie word .."practical. ,, because many styles of dinner table decorations in voguu at the present lime, such as one sees at exhibition*, are not practicable as far an the uSjority of gardeners aro concerned. Thi."tatementlleel sure will m>.easily pass ui.challeoße<i unless I am able to advance sound reasons _to J tt » fc »° emnhatic an assertion. I will tliereiore awfinp" to do so before proceeding? f U Thi e r*eason why we see so Rreat a dlsparity & •jJ^'J meut of dinner table eetabmhmeuta at public exhibitions and those earned out In "he homes of the wealthy. i» *»•*?_*,?£ extent due to the fact that those who carry out the former select with great care the glaa&es and stand* employed arranging the flowers in. and Jn * owe \ iuataucee have them specially made for tne ! purpose, while gardeners in the mtgoriiy of private places have to adapt their floral arrangements to the incongruous ana generally far too masaivo epergnes, stands, bowla, aud baskets which are,provided. These are in many instances ancient ana; costly ornaments of gold and silver, worlsa ! of high art iv themselves, but not well i fitted to enable the decorator to show his ability in devising and carrying outs artistic arrangements which are in accord with the advanced and refined taste of preeent times. These elaborate ornaments are frequently heirlooms which have been handed down i through many .•ucce.'sive generations, aud, I are in consequence highly prized by those ancient families who still regain tuem, and who are aa proud cm befitting occasions to display them before their quests as they axe to show the floral gem» of their garden or the artistic ability of their gardeners, who. in reality, only reflect the good taste qf their employers. 1 maintain, therefore, that real ability iv ! this kind of work ia beet shown by choosI ing the most suitable materials at command for eacb Individual set of ornaments, and arranging them so as to obtain a good I effect without paying too much regard to ! conventional style, always making a point co have some special feature in each attempt, some feature which will strike at once each beholder, and by it be afterwards remembered. It is, I think, scarcely necessary for mc to add the prominent feature should be one which does not offend eye 3 well trained to a due balance between accurately proportioned forms am l well blended colour*. The old method of using a considerable variety of colour at each attempt is now almost extinct, and in many of the best decorations now carried out only one colour ia used in addition to that supplied by the greenery. Speaking generally white may with advantage, be added to almost any combination. When, however, a series o"f dinner parties are held which necessitate extensive decorations, it ia policy, ou several occasions, to keep to one colour only, without even the addition of white. A more varied effect may in this way be produced with a given amount of materials than can bo secured by any other means which I am aware of. In selecting flowers for the purpose care should be taken to use only those which look well when seen under the influence of artificial light, un'.<sss as ii rarely the enae, dinner is partaken of by daylight. The various ehndes ot pink, rose, ai»d scarlet are, I think, more telling under ! artificial light, than any other colours or shades of colour; certain ifc in that when well-executed desucn* ia which e'i!h«r of these colours—.especially the two llrstnarned—are- employed, they command universal, anu iv some instances enthusiastic admiration. Dark blue nmV purple flowers should iuvariably brs nyolded, but pale blue ones often look exceedingly pretty when arranged with noft yellaw flowers or when yellow coloured silk is laid npun the cloth. I have, frequently heard and read that yellow flowers are nob effective when seen under artificial I light. Some shades may not be, but I can scarcely, imagine how we could well dispfiiSG with the fine clear,yellow and bronzy yqllow shades of Chrynanliiemiuiis,. which have a peculiar and delightful bonuty of their own, and are, moreover, especially ndapted for dinner-table embellishments. Simple rules us to which colours harmqnlae with each other are useful to beginners; but those who have a correct e3'« for colour should rely solely on that gifu to guide them in the art of colour-blending. They will then be able to work out many exqui-'ito combinations of colour, which those who rely principally upon a dogmatic code of rules can never imitate without running great risk of olfeudingJthe more correct'and .sensitive optical organs .of those with a good eye lot "colour. Whpn there is any doubt the appearance the colour* intended for use \vnl[ p/eßeht under nrfcincialligut, the'point may'easily be settled uytnkfiig the various flowers into a darkened room ta examine by the light—-gas or lamp. Every gardener who lias had o. fair amount of experienca ia the arrangement of llowerrf for whatever purpose, i» aware that a. light feathery outline must bo obtained to produce a good effect. Ie is therefore essential that crowding should at all times he avoided. Some fall In securing th;S lightness of arrangement, because they experience considerable difficulty in fixjng the flowers in the-exact-positions they require them to occupy. This is, however, easily accomplished by inserting; pieces of box a few inches in length between so as to keep eacii flower held firmly in poeitioti. liVifon each «hiss or stand is filled J like to look ibcarefully over, and hlsotild there be any uppeariuicf. of overcrowding remove a fewflowers by cutting the stoma -aeundi'V at i he water level ; this is far;better than pulling- tliem ouft, as there is no danger of loosening and disar,ranging the others. -Eimplo though thia-'ihfttterniay appear it U well worthy of ufciention. In almost all arraugementH It is important to have a good proportion of small light, flower* cut with long atems, such as Spiraea*, Oncidium flexuosum, Maedevalhaa, Epacriaes, Cornflowers. '■ Gypsophila paniculit.ta, and a host of others possessing similar characteristic*. When only mediutn sized pslaeses »rrt uae'd ! flowers of a hrtaVy hatttre are quite ouf of I plice except in the case of those which I have a dish-like base. Where, however, ! massive stands o» eperigbea are used, flowers of a bold type, so ionjgf as they are thinly arranged, should be used. . v of Akbangb&iknt. ; Fashion in this, as in all o'her kinds of decorative'work;- is continually changing.: but vvliatever the prevailing mechod of I the day may be. various other styles also must be frequently brought into whenever a ■series of tanner parties tnlco.place, t»iherwise monotony is painfully apparent. I I hUve sometimes noticed on such occasion* that a method of arrangement pracfcleed twenty veurs ago willj if worked out in the lightness and finish, which -commend* itself to modern taefe, »s«*fnro 'enthusiastic admiration. Tracing, for instance, I i< not nearly so much in voguea« it w«s ten yearn iigp, yet if vvell done iti< extfßtneiy effective ; but then .we uso thih|S4 wliicSi I cinsldur* aro far better adapted fV/r ihu purpose novr, which may have lune'i :o do with Ick continued popularity, I Ohm* leaves laid «o a& to overlap each < ilitr were .'at onetime freely, employed, but i-o my mind they are much too flit and foriiinl looking. Sprays of 'HoneysufkTe, Weijr'p'la rosoa, or Kinall pieces of ih-j foa'herv Uctinownorac represent a far more efiVctlvu type of material. In roit'i-nn when there U plenty of coloured foliage" to be hud, a «ui»p!e but unique arrangement may b« m.iile !>y covermu '■■(So whole space available on the cloUt with autumn foliagenf, BerberTs aqnifoliutn au"»wer< the pnni'ifo weH. The point* of fthon'n. «s vvell us sintcleleavca should he u«ed. becnH«e they wilt tnkp off the flatness. A or eperg'ie dressed with fiowcr» nntJ tihould then be placed in U»<'* ceit'sp, ji'td two smaller once on each *ici<» it ih« size 1 of the table require* them. White fl'»w«re ■ aarAcged in little irnvular prroupn wherever taom can b« f.mud for tlit'in, wltn a F«ni frond udued l.pro and M»tsre complete the orrat'geinMir, aud'if th? work has been well, carri;"* o«t ihi» efYecfc prodoced is strikingly effeotivo. Tins marie o':e inch rlct'n and one nnd a-hslf inch wiiie, and fined in a couM"U f >csn romvl tlift t;o>)p. if lill-'d wiLh wind A'ld iiiTangt'd wifch Fern, small of Vel.irsoniam, Chrysa'H hcmu'tiH, o- »»th'*r flower*, toojc vary pretty. TSj-j elt'tfct is siill Iwtter if "Ock»tß ore m.-ile In tlje tin nt ii»t*irval« of two or Lhreßf."»\ «o Mint H'liaJl prias 5 * trumpets in-iy •>« fi'tr'd ju'.> this MOckctH nnfi arranged vvTh llower«. A' di-o-'s-d "tnitd In tbc*r«ntre with a OfCus "XV'e.'idelll.iua on *!•}«•. will render ih-i vv "<lf licht and quifo imiio-iutt. "Very pretfy pl>Ued aluss ornninontJ? *a* in i«ve now mad-i i« tlio farm if ti.tßket>'. >Soni« of Uk-mc h tv»i p,K*i« pen<l.»t)i<i. find glasa chains w> cimsei't oiiu tsftiker. wi»li itiiathii-r. Snmw r»f ih»« m»\st ' be.-jutiiul iliiuw'r tnbtet I-hiv«> i-vr.r *w.n ] h-ve'bt'fn i»iad*> »n by lining thcs« ! A tVnie to μ-ut about flf'eun U a nuUhl)lo . fcizo to spfuie itr>aA h-t'nncv. T!«o ba-U'-t fSnnticd with flowers iihouUl .l»e i pi 'iced in rlit» rptjtr«». having n few Jo»cc I pi. cti-s of SoiiUix <Myr»ipuylium ueoara- '

goidea) trailing over Mie Mdcs I ihe table, Nexc will come ewa - ft labra, then two smaller baeketa niiJi n ?«- 1 flowers; eight still smaller one* "X m U " i placed around the ddes ot thj uE?. lfcl * I Four corner oacabolnnarrHnacdwid , ltf « W Forna of various sorts Utiookodout *L ll -J. steed pots: the other four havlne* . f <& Cbeoa WeddoUlann In thy fe ttowera and Fern fronds arraugetl *l i?' !, » si ba-»*. '"'if ff Various other methods of nrramw. H might bo given, but I tulnft en,"ft ,rt i been adduced to serve as c. " A3 fc H on which an Infinite variety of C oihl' Ui) " 71 tioiiH may be worked out by Mm™ I?" , * li iugenious turn of rnln.l. 1 \t\\\ i\**\*H fl conclude b7 plviujjc the outHiiu of a i?»Jt Or * H which Iβ especially adapted for a«" ,1* .*"* 1 the Chrysanthemum yciwmn, 1,, M»i, "* If no stande, glasses, or epi-rfrnen of »»,»»'* 1 scription will be required. FlMt C o v l*r i centre of the table with thick il 4 paper, then , cut th« outer edge* of in* 11 j§ a ecrlee of serpentine sw<?»oh ** .. ! a m avoid formality in outline. I v ihe« B V te ' on au inverted por, plaoo n fr # s>*» dauus Vcitcbi or one of Phojnlx runt«fi !1 ' Next will come two e&hdelAiim. UiV'l.' be followed by two graceful planter, a Weddelliana, and two xmallur nUui* . Pandanus will be suitable for |1,-»J? f ends.' Now cover t,he vrhnln of tliu br«!!° paper with fresh green inoas, ftlv i r ',j*s mounds of it to cover the pots used » J) tflblo ia a rnfcherwide one, vi'VyMman'pai'" of more graceful kind may be dotted abonJ here and there, in each case mokittu aii.V. mound to cover e:\ch pot". Next thi! ' round the omor edee of the ii.osh W l.t ■ some kind of coloured foltsßo, nnd th ; 1 most troublesome part of the work Urn,,, !| pleted. The remainder cotvrtata hi dottlifa 1 Chrysanthemums, both large and amlf | ut irregular intervals nil over tho mow i i course avoiding anything nprrnachL, I crowding, borne of the •lapaueKj. j|i 11( jj I which have drooping pemls ulionld ■v,,! E well above the moss, so as to tii-plav thiil I fantastio beauty to the host, auvantae*. I this can easily be done if the stem,!.! , I sharpened and thrust into the m O s« *«« I extra depth of which m:»y be giwn iU s 'n n i 1 points. Frond!) of MaUluithn.tr and Pteri, 1 Ferns and a few small whorls of Cynern. 1 nlternifoliue innertod hero and there give* 1 finishing touch to the. whole Anyone wu § has the ooportunitj , to carry our thts v ! rangemeub will, I am sure, be dvtiKrhted with it, and the guests when seated round - the table will find their eyes rowing np o » 1 a scene which, for amomeof, I them In flights of fancy to tiie realms of J fairyland.— Journal of Horticulture, §