The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-07-04 00:00:00

WINDOW GAM! /EN INI :.

The time approaches fast for the very interesting
exhibition of Cottager's planta and flowers, so
generotudy initiated and kejit up by Mr. Henry
Edwards, MP., and it should be remembered that
not even the chow itself, pretty as that is, is the end
and aim of Mr. Edwards's kin,fly effort.. Among the
many plans for promoting the happiness ,if those who
live in small homes, that of encouraging " Window.
gardening, as it is called, is one of the prettiest,
and at the same time one of themost sucoessfuL
It is now seen that whatever attaches the
cottager and his wife to their homes goes very far
Indeed to make them truly happy. Not for nothing
was it that the Great Capitalist first employed the
Labourer Man in a garden, and associated with him
there her who was to be his help meet. Never were
Capital and Labour more harmoniously employed
than in the first days of that first tenancy.at-will, and
although the labourers there refused to respect the
"reserved rights " of Capital, and were ejected from
their ganlen.hotne yet man hag always looked hack or
forwards with th'e most enduring pleasure to his
occupancy of the garden. So enduring is this kindly
feeling that ministers of all working denominations,
district visitors, scripture readers an town mission-
aries all find it a powerful help to their best efforts,
when they can get back some thoughts and some
attention of even the most careworn to plant and
flowers. In cities and towns, it is often difficult to
get even the smallest patch of open ground that it was
a happy thought to try what can be done in a few boxes
or flower pots, on the window sill, or a ledge inside.
That so much improvement can be made in the look
of the house is remarkable, although it is manifest on
all sides; even the little window where there is room
for only two or three pots is often fairly ablaze with
ii"me brilliant blooms, or shows exquisite taste in its
grouping of more delicate shades. Our correspondent
remembers how in his earliest youth he was per.
chhisoiweeay"topocthiknetdapylar,n;,."
school
manently impressed with the glory of particularly
Nicholas-street That street has now many rivals for
the varieties of calceolariaa, so many indeed that he
theyt
hat ve.eryrebtumhenbit:ll.l.ll.it,yin,
is afraid to begin them, lest erhaps the most gorgeous
of all should be left out. In a very humble window
in a neighbouring
p
village he has seen the very choicest
varieties of geraniums that ever gratified his sight ;
but in Weymouth itself the tints of pink, shaded
i
through "maiden blush " into white, the delicate
magenta, the dark crimson, and many other hues,
compete with the wonderful variety of form in the
led, form the skeleton tracery of te oak leaf to the
velvety thickness of the broader kinds. For :Goals,
with tWr curious bands of yellow and black, perhaps

the great houses on the Front take the palm from the
cottagers, who like something very natural, and who
are not at home in the long word pelargonium; but
in the variously scented kinds the cottager,, seem to
hold their own. In fuchsias, toe, perhaps they
hardly compete with the astounding varieties of the
greenhouse, but fuchsias are in very good force, and
there are splendid specimens near the Chickerel-mad.
Then begonias, ordinary and German, inutturtiums
(though the season has been against them) are another
main feature, and the charming window-pot-news are
marvels of syminetry, colour, and no doubt of scent.
The various curiositiett in foliage and blossom are not
absent ; bronze nettles. fleshy cockscombs, are only
selections out itf the numberless kinds. Plants %ablest
for giving a green setting ti the whole are not so
abundant as sonic would like to see, though of eon",
, the trailing creepers and leafy climbers are supple.
mental by sweet-iscentA4l mignonette. Blirdon's
Buildings and St Leonanni-road have been indicated,
and there must be added Highottreet and Hope street
as places where well.tended displays may be seen,
l'erhaps the prettiest effect produced by the
creeper limaria, may be seen surrounding an tipper
window not a mile from the Bridge, though this is
cerhaps a house above the class for which Mr.
Liwards is specially MIX iOll/1. A critic desirous of
greater improvement might ask for more attention to
the fern tribe; these eurains plants whose folia,ro
presents such lovely vapetles, may be grown in
northern windows, less suitable for bringing on flower
bitterns, while the more delic.ate !wets would be grateful
for indoor warmth. Perhaps it may not be known
generally that a really fine collect ~,,, of ferns is most
suecessfully cultivated by Mr. Crti.,...4-itay, almost "lit
of sight at the Ilnion-house, and if some "fur
friends who have no sunny windows, were to see Air.
t'ourtenay's collection, they would lie encouraged to
attempt soniething more in this branch. Mr. Edwards
will tlit anything in his power to promote the , ultit
thin of flowers and plants ; his own kind wools are,
" Anything in my power," for his object hi the pro.
motion of donvestic happiness. Did the fullest
depend upon money, everybody in Weymouth kitows
that Mr. Edwards will not spaie, as lie never has
spared, that tangible proof of his goodwill : lint Mr.
I.:awards is one who taken the trouble to think, and
be has circulated sunong the working lasses a large
number if a little book,
_published by the Lsti;..
Sanitary Association, entitled "What can Wind",
I ;ardent. do for Init. Health ?"Fhie elicit of the effort
has been w lerful, for it is shown that a. 4 a$
persoc has the love of flowers and plants reawakened,
for it slumbers sometimes, they understand the table
of fresh air in their rooms, of fresh water, and
nose, and general brightness in the (smile fog's,
This is one of Mr. Edwards's aims, the ma4tinen.
the show is an extremely %Wilde matter, +FPI*,,
itself is only an adjunct to encourage pritfat.eetsi...
It is said that all the clergymen and minister.
interested in the matter, and they and all district
visitors anti Scripture readers, teachers, in fact all
philanthropists are asked to impisort the 111,11 Lent,
by awakening and stimulating private effort No
doubt there will lie a good exhibition ; and cottagers
should remember this is important. not only to
encourage each other, lett to have sono.thin, „say
gathered to show their beloved member, 'hull be
' chance to look in, as he kindly hat done het. qv.
will lie a return lie would value, and sib. would not
give 'demure to Mr. Edwards let all the
and others tin their very best to get a good lull
of the clutimstst, and all lovers of their fellow tosncriea
take care that the Window liarden movement shall
be lasting in its effects.