Interest Awakening In Arranging of Flowers

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26849, 13 August 1948, Page 2

Interest Awakening In Arranging of Flowers

NOTES FOR WOMEN

The women of New Zealand are only beginning to realise that the arranging of flowers is more thap a haphazard “ throwing together ” of a mass of .blooms in the hope of an artistic result. In an interview with a representative of the Daily Times, a leading Dunedin florist said that as often as fashions in architecture alter and differ, so must floral decorations change with them.

• The arrangement of flowers,” she said, "is an art in itself, and. should not be confused with what is termed ' floral art,’ which involves intricate wiring, and is more the field of the professional florist.” She considered that every woman could, with a little practice, become more than proficient in the arranging of flowers in ways suited to the modern home. She stressed the value of leaves for winter decoration, instead of artificial or dried flowers, at best a poor substitute, and at worst merely dust-collectors. This was illustrated by a delightful combination of iris leaves and green succulent, both of which have the advantage of being procurable at all times. Part of a fanpalm with just two white camellias was a novel suggestion, but one which, for the amateur, might present a few difficulties. Other equally happy combinations of leaves would suggest themselves to the veriest tyro, while the near-pro-fessional would doubtless be able to ” think up ” scores of unusual arrangements with which to delight the family and visitors alike.

A dark green trough of arum lilies, unevenly grouped, occupied a prominent position in the florist’s shop, and was indeed worthy of pride of place, with its own glossy leaves making a perfect foil for the pale waxy flowers. From the florist’s explanations, it appears that there are six basic shapes for the arrangement of a vase or bowl of flowers, and these, in their order of popularity, are circular, triangular, horizontal, scalene, semi-circular, and vertical. To the amateur such a. list sounds truly formidable, but the art of suiting the floral decorations to the particular requirements of a hall or room must inevitably be learnt by trial and error and by experience.

One piece of advice which would assist the beginner was to have one outstanding focus or point of interest in any bowl or vase. The best flower, or group of flowers, should, it appears, be the inspiration for the entire bowl, and, from the charming appearance of at least a dozen bowls or troughs around the shop, inspiration did not seem to be lacking. In fact, one reached the conclusion that it was "easy when you know how!"