FLOWERS IN VASES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3763, 27 April 1926, Page 11

FLOWERS IN VASES.

SOME USEFUL HINTS. There is much to be said in favour of the increasing number of classes devoted to decorative vases and bowls in flower shows, for it is obvious that we see as much, if not more, of flowers in house decoration as we do growing in the garden. Usually the quality of flowers seen in these classes is excellent, the same cannot often be said of the arrangement. Perhaps this is hardly fair criticism, for what looks well in the house may not have the same appearance on the show bench; but the judges should make some allowance, for, presumably, the class is arranged to show the value of the particular flower for cutting and ordinary indoor decoration. The usual fault found with such exhibits is that the vases and bowls are too crowded. Arrangement of cut flowers can be divided under three heads—the Japanese, the average, and the mass arrangements The Japanese is the simplest and the most difficult, for success is attained by beauty of form with hardly a thought as to colour. 11l is means that the receptacle and the plant must make a combination in grace, and that the flower or branch must he chosen for t.he vase or bowl, or the vare or bowl for the flower. This is difficult at all times, and impossible when vou have small choice of receptacles. This style of arrangement looks out of place in a room which is crowded with furniture and crammed with knick-knacks. It looks charming in a room that verges on the austere.

The second or average class is the com monest and most sati factory, for it depends on variety and the clever use of contrasting colours, shapes and sizes. It is the product of a half-hour walk round the garden picking here and picking f here and collectin'? a posy. Everybody has his or her own preference of colour schemes, but form is often wanting in the arrangement of vases. Some flowers seem to fall into a natural grace when placed in a vase, others have to be coaxed and netted into position. Natural taste must predominate, but vas.es should never be overcrowded One point is often overlooked, and that is that vases should be in a certain ratio to the height and size of the flowers. Large-headed flowers should never he arrantred in vases with a narrow top howeveT tall they may he. and the opposite is just as true In the same way tall flowers look overladen when shoved into a dumpy vase. The use of a vase of wrong shape or size intensifies any shortness of stem d'*e to drought or an error in cutting. The shape of the vase and bowl is also of importance, and the more it relies upon grace of line and the l«ss on external decoration the more useful it will be found There is a happy mean which is perfect and is easy to attain onc a vour attention has been drewn to it.

The third da-* is the massed effect, when dozens of blooms of one particular plant are massed in a bowl or 8 large vase. This only looks well in a heavy room which is already crowded and is. indeed neces°arv. for slimly built arrangements are rather IoH in a crowded room The disadvantages of this type of arrangement «n an ordinary bouse are several Tho o** thit it is nm-t impossible to prevent a Tn**red effect from looking overweighted and heavy. It may give you a blaze of colour and a fine colour effect, but it i« unnaturalr also in the it is often difficult, to pick masses without leaving the bed or border rather desolate Surely the joy of vases of flowers is to bring a little of the atmosnhere of a garden into the house, and this ran hpst be accomplished hv making your arrangements as natural as possible. Give a little studv to the form and shine of a flower a*>d trv to evolve a whioh will show off tb*» natural he**«tv i-o Hre greatest effect.—E. H. M. C. in the Garden.