MAKING THE HOUSE GAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19836, 27 June 1934, Page 12

MAKING THE HOUSE GAY

The clear golds, rich reds, russet, and copper tones of autumn leaves and berries will make the dullest corner of the house gay. Leaves can be arranged most effectively in either pottery jars, clear am-ber-coloured glass, copper jugs, or brass bowls, and used either by themselves or with any of the autumn berries are more effective than the most expensive of autumn flowers. There are almost as many kinds of autumn berries as there are flowers during the summer months, and it is amazing how little scraps from various trees and shrubs in the garden can be grouped into the most delightful decorative arrangements. In every garden there is an old gnarled rose bush, which does not have particularly beautiful blooms, but which, in autumn, is covered with large, gay, yellow rose berries (called rose hips). Some of the rambler rose family seed also, and Jong sprays of small scarlet and orange berries can be plucked from the privet hedge, dried seedpods of montbretia on long spidery stalks, the tiny green gamnuts from Which all the leaves have been stripped, briar berries from the country field, and other garden oddments may be used most successfully.

Some of the prunus trees have tiny red plums scattered here and there through the deep purple red leaves, and these add another contrast to the clear gold of linden, silver birch, and golden ash leaves. The “snowball” bush, which scatters its white snow of blossom early in spring, turns the most vivid tones of red and yellow in autumn, and is most effective used in a dull green pottery jar with sprays of wild cherry or other evergreen.