Pot-pourri from a Surrey garden

Before beginning the bouquet, make up your mind, in a general way, what branches and flowers to use and how to dispose them. Then first place the principal ones, fixing each firmly in turn with the bits of Bamboo if not large enough to fill the space, or by pruning the bottom of the stems if too thick, so as exactly to fit the wedge. All tree-branches and shrubs should have the bark peeled off the part which is under water, as this allows a freer entrance to the moisture, and so enables the plant to last fresh for a much longer time. When you have finished the arrangement, stand at a little distance, and remove all leaves, shoots, or flowers which interfere with the clearness and beauty of line from various points of view. Then fill the vase with water — slightly tepid is best, especially if the flowers are at all faded. If the wedge is still visible above or through the water, cover it over with a little Moss or other very light leafage or, in the case of a water-plant decoration, with some small water weed. The diagrams showing the trilineal arrangement of stems are taken from Mr. Condor's book, and are in strict accordance with the rules of the Japanese art. The other two illustrations of flower decorations are photographed from life, and are merely casual examples of the effect produced by this system of sup- porting flowers by fasteners, even without conforming with any great precision to the laws adhered to in Japan. There is hardly a flower, shrub, or tree which is not, at one stage of growth or other, adaptable to this style of arrangement, but some of the most obviously suited are here mentioned by way of suggestion. All fruit blossoms, wild or cultivated: Blackthorn, May, Dog Eose, Bramble, Willow (more especially in bud, known as ' palm '), Maple, Oak, Rhododendron, Azalea, Laburnum, Wistaria, Tree Paeony, Syringa, Berberis, Laurus- tinus, Holly, and almost all kinds of Pine trees ; Irises, Narcissi, Bulrushes, Marsh Marigolds, Water Lilies, Honeysuckle, Clema- tis, Chrysanthemums, &c. 364 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN I have dwelt almost entirely upon the technical side of the art, this being the indispensable means to the end in view. But the goal is one untouched by theory, unmolested by hard- Pl'&US JAPONIC A IN METAL VASE and-fast rules. The wonderful beauty ol proportion and balance, the choiceness of selection, the effect of growth and vitality, of dignity and grace, with which the whole of this art is pene- trated, are not to be expressed in any doctrinal terms. The APPENDIX 365 tender solicitude which it exacts for the habits and character- istics, tastes and welfare of each plant, endows the least thing utilised by this art with almost a personality. The relative con- nection of one plant with another — the tall, aspiring Principal ; the Secondary, which seems inclined to follow its lead, yet hesitates half-way with questioning doubt ; the Tertiary below, in squat contentment — these admit of endless variety of inter- pretation. To the Japanese every flower has its meaning and associations, as well as every combination of flowers. The force of contrast is ever present in their designs ; the opposite sexes are supposed to be represented, strength and weakness, stern- ness and tenderness, &c.