The Floral Art of Japan: Being a Second and Revised Edition of the Flowers of Japan and the Art of Floral Arrangement

by Professor Josiah Conder

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 Excerpt: ... fancy an analogy is here drawn between the relative position of the plants in such broad vessels and that of fish swimming or sporting in a lake or stream. The arrangements of trees or plants in water basins, whether in single or double groups, must be always more towards one side of the vessel than the other, all ... Read More

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 Excerpt: ... fancy an analogy is here drawn between the relative position of the plants in such broad vessels and that of fish swimming or sporting in a lake or stream. The arrangements of trees or plants in water basins, whether in single or double groups, must be always more towards one side of the vessel than the other, all formal and symmetrical compositions being disliked. In Horse-tubs the employment of tree branches is prohibited, and plants of one or two kinds must be used. With regard to spacing, the same rules apply as are given for Sand-basins. If a pair of similar vessels containing floral compositions be used side by side, the flower arrangement in one should be as nearly as possible of the same form as the other, reversed; but the colours of the flowers should be varied. For example, one vase may contain red and the other white flowers, with the stems or branches of both disposed in nearly similar lines. These symmetical arrangements are not, however, often resorted to. In Flower chariots it is usual to arrange the seven flowers of Autumn; with these are sometimes combined other Autumn grasses, making the number up to nine or eleven different kinds of plants. Such elaborate combinations, which are not generally allowed in other flower vessels, are from their richness technically called embroidery. WATER IN VASES. Various rules are observed as to the use of water in flower vessels. In Spring and Autumn the vase should be about nine-tenths filled with water; in early Summer nearly full, and during the hottest days of Summer brim-full to overflowing, the rim of the vessel being oiled so that the water actually seems to pile up above the edge. In Winter time the vase should only be four-fifths full, and as little as seven-tenths in the coldest season. When wa... Read Less