Various Foliage, etc.

This month brings us richness of colour-ing and mellow tints. Not alone have we beauty of blossom, but the rich colouring of foliage rivals the flowers themselves.

A table decoration of foliage without flowers is very effective, though very seldom seen. Trails of bright red Virginian creeper give as bright an effect as any blossoms, and, used in conjunction with well polished silver, leave little to be desired.

Twine it round silver candlesticks, and loop garlands of it from vase to vase. Fill silver bonbonnieres with bright sweets and encircle them with creeper leaves. Arrange at each corner of the table a cluster of leaves tied with a bow of ribbon and use autumn leaf guest-cards.

A table decoration for which bright red cactus dahlias are used in combination with gypsophila. No other colour than that of the dahlias should be used. The effect of the scheme is brilliant, yet harmonious

Dahlias are among the most useful of table flowers, and they are very plentiful this month. In the illustration large cactus dahlias of a bright shade of red are used. These are very attractive in conjunction with gypsophila. At each corner of the table a circle of tiny sprays of gypsophila is placed, and there is a fine bloom in the centre of this.

A square of lace is used in the middle of the table with a row of blossoms at the edge of it, and others are placed outside the edge square, while from the centre rises a slender vase filled with some fine blooms and plenty of gypsophila.

Sulphur-yellow cactus dahlias, also, would be effective for this design, or those very popular large, bright majenta ones; the latter look brilliant by artificial light. Care must be taken, however, that other colours are absent from the table, as it is only white or the green shade of their own foliage that will harmonise with these dahlias. The small pom-pom dahlias, though stiff in themselves, form a pretty table decoration with plenty of gypso-phila.

Take a number of the dahlias and form lines with them from corner to corner of the table, crossing them in the middle, and using clusters of the wee white blossoms round each one of them. In the spaces between the lines stand white china vases filled with the same combination of flowers.

Roses are becoming scarce in. September, and must be used sparingly. But these last roses of summer are very beautiful. Those of a pale pink hue look well in a specimen vase with only their own foliage. Four such vases would make a pretty decoration on a ribbon table-centre of pale blue satin, with garlands of the ribbon draped from vase to vase, fastened half-way up the stem with pretty bows.

Or three vases so filled could be placed in a triangle, with trails of tinted creeper forming the triangle on the cloth, and trails of it also draped from the tops of the vases. Then long trails of brightly tinted creepers might be carried to the corners, and other vases placed there.

A decoration for harvest time, consisting of wild or Shirley poppies and wheat in slender vases, placed upon squares formed of daisy heads

A Harvest Decoration

A suitable decoration for the time of harvest is also shown. The table is covered with daisy chains formed into squares by crossing and crossing. Lawn daisies were not used for this, but the somewhat larger ones that are often found growing by corn-fields. Five vases are used, and they are filled with poppies and corn. The effect is very pretty. The bonbonnieres are in the form of autumn leaves and are filled with fancy fondants. The flaming red wild poppy is a happy contrast to wheat, and another pretty scheme consists of using Shirley poppies of every shade from white to deepest red. Poppy petal candle-shades should be used in a medium red shade, and sweet-cases to match.

An autumn breakfast-table decorated with heather is a pretty idea. In the one here displayed a handsome game-pie dish, with a design of foxheads and ducks, has been used. It is placed upon a fringe of heather, and filled with sprays of purple heather. A few lead supports are placed in the dish to keep the heather upright.

Sprays of purple heather are placed round the cruets, with a sprig of white heather at each place to bring

"good luck" to the sportsmen.

Heather is very suitable, too, for luncheon parties, but is too dark and heavy by artificial light for dinner use.

The graceful fuchsia is most suitable for table use. Try it with sprays of pink ivy geranium in cut-glass vases, and mass some of the pink blossoms with some sprays of grey foliage round the base of each vase. Another pretty contrast consists of pink ivy geraniums and variegated maple leaves. Fill the vases with sprays of the leaves and then place the pink geraniums among them. Low-shaped table-baskets, painted silver, form artistic receptacles for geraniums and foliage. Trim the baskets with bows of ribbon to match the geraniums, using either bright scarlet or pink blossoms.

Those who have kept their sweet-peas well picked will still have plenty of blossoms to gather. Use them on your table as follows : Cut out a large star in silver paper and place it on the table; edge the star with sweet-pea blossoms, and in the centre on the silver paper stand a rustic silver vase, filled with sweet-peas and their own foliage. From the top of this vase to the points of the star suspend garlands of sweet-pea blossoms threaded on to fine wire, and at each corner of the table fasten a cluster of blossoms and foliage tied with a bow of ribbon.