Etiquette for Flowers

I recently procured a charming antique book by Annie Randall White called Twentieth Century Etiquette - A ready manual for all occasions, published in 1900. She called it an "up-to-date book for polite society". Its a joy to read. I like to let the book open to a random page and discover its contents. Today, I opened to page 182 - Floral Decorations. Here, I quote: "Flowers are a great addition to the beauty of a table, and where they can be had, are as suitable for the family table as the more formal one. In the latter, they are indispensable."

The little vase pictured is a cute way to display a nosegay and at the same time, announce to your guests where they should be seated. I used a real leaf for the place card (but they do tend to dry out after a couple of hours) and I wrote on it with a foil marker. An artificial leaf could also be used. Also, I tinted the water with food coloring to match the color scheme of the dinner party!