A form of self-expression

 

   "The pleasant English art of "doing the flowers" is one of the few home-crafts to survive the Industrial Revolution. Year by year machines replace the old skills, even music-making succumbing to some extent to the wireless. There remains this lovely but simple art, a form of self-expression defying regimentation, doing the flowers. We may not all play musical instruments, paint in oils, draw in water-colour, but we can all if we like paint pictures from our own gardens." 

    That is the opening of the little booklet Flower Schemes by Constance Villiers-Stuart which belonged to my grandmother and was written, I think, in the late 1950s or early '60s - it is not dated, but its look and some of its references give a clue as to its vintage. Mrs. Villiers-Stuart - who was the author of Spanish Gardens and Gardens of the Great Mughals - gives helpful advice on which flowers look best in what sort of container and with what colour interior decor, but it is her remark there about 'doing the flowers' being a form of self-expression that I wanted to grasp and examine because she is right, though I'd never thought of it in quite that way before. Even the least fussy trimming of stems and 'arranging' of a few blooms in a vase can be "this lovely but simple art", and then perhaps as here we photograph the results, and that too is a small creative or interpretative act, and that leads me on to think of what else we do in our daily lives to which we may not accord the same status as, say, making music or painting or writing, but which is at its essence a similar form of self-expression.

Comments

[Freda]

Would setting an attractive table come into this category, do you think? My grandmother (I have just put a photograph of her on today's blog!) was in service, and was very particular about how the table should be laid. While not as strict about correctness as she, though I may sometimes feel she is looking over my shoulder, I do take great pleasure in setting a nice table, even for the simplest of meals, and even when it's just for me..

[Nancy]

My mother-in-law enjoyed "doing the flowers" though I never have. My husband finally learned that the _worst_ gift he could give me was fresh flowers - ones that needed to be arranged. It could cause tears. No matter how I tried, the results were always truly horrible. Give me an arrangement or a plant if it must be flowers - but don't make me miserable with cut flowers needing something done with them. Don't get me wrong - I Love floral arrangements, just can't pull it off myself.

[Cornflower]

I think setting a table beautifully is indeed a form of self-expression, and re. your own post there, writing by hand, too.

[Cornflower]

One of the 'extra rooms' I'd love to have one day is a flower room (with a garden large enough to provide the material to justify it) and I'd happily potter in there for hours, but I guess you won't be joining me, Nancy!

[ctussaud]

My grandmother had a big "flower cupboard" in a cloakroom: a big deep Belfast sink with shelves above and below for vases and other impedimenta, the whole behind double doors so it was always closed when not in use. My mother copied this idea, and I would love to one day!

For those interested in words: in Northern Ireland, where one might imagine a Belfast sink could be a matter of pride, they are known as "jawboxes".

[Cornflower]

Your grandmother's cupboard sounds wonderful, Curzon! I have a Belfast sink but I never knew they were called "jawboxes" - thankyou for that information.

[Dark Puss]

I'd quite fancy a bedroom !!!

[Claire]

I'm afraid I'm a "put them in a pretty jug person" but I do love fresh flowers and try to always have them in the house.

[Cornflower]

Nothing wrong with a bunch in a jug!

[Mary]

My British mother always tried to plant huge flower gardens wherever we lived. She could potter for hours and could make even the smallest arrangement of flowers or greens a thing of beauty. Not as talented, I still love fresh flowers. It is the one thing I miss about not living in UK...flower stalls in a market or on a corner. US supermarkets always seem to have the same pathetic looking bunches of incompatible flowers for extortionate rates. I do love when the daffodils and tulips show up.

[Cornflower]

We are fortunate here with British growers, both the larger scale ones and small flower farmers who sell beautiful blooms that aren't typical florists' stock.

[Lindsay]

Talking of the Great Mughals, I went yesterday for the third time to the Mughal exhibition at the British Library. It mainly concentrates on book illustration (many of which have gardens in them, of course), but has some lovely artefacts as well - well worth a visit. And I snuck into the ABC of crime writing for ten minutes, too, (its not called that, but you know what I mean), looks rather fun.

And finally, went to a private view of the Manet at the RA yesterday - not my favourite painter, but some wonderful portraits, especially of women - his wife, models and actresses, a couple of particularly fine "Amazons" (horsewomen). Great stuff, good to see it with empty room, as I gather the crowds will be huge.

[Cornflower]

Thankyou, Lindsay - glad to hear you're managing to get some time away from work!

[Mary]

I'll second the Manet recommendation. I particularly liked his portrait of Zola which I must have seen before in Paris but never really looked at it properly before. And an astonishing portrait of Berthe Morisot falling apart with grief. Was it from a private collection, Lindsay? I wish I'd scribbled a note to myself, I know I'd never seen it before.