Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-04-14
The Window Garden.

Most people who have a collection Of
bedding plants during the summer in
the open ground desire to have at least
a small collection of plants for window
decoration during winter. But we do
not always see them arranged with the
taste and artistic neatneSs that should
be shown. Although no exact rules can
be given for the arrangement of plants
in each case, yet with little care and
the plants very tasteful disposition Of
them can be made. Small plants should
not be placed in the shade of large ones,
and all sizes should be turned OCCASION
ally in order to allow the light to shine
equally on all sides. A bay window is
an excellent place for hanging basket,
and clinging plants or vines may be
trained around the sides and top of the
casing. The way in which plants are
arranged has very much to do with the
beauty of the window garden. Not few
persons who profess to have great
love for flowers and plants have but
vague ideas as to neatness in planting
them. This class of people often plant
their slips or plants in anything they
can find-old glass, earthenware, or tin
cans-forgetting that with an outlay of
a dollar or less, neat, new pots might be
procured, which would not only look
much better, but be far more healthful
for the plants. The soil, too, is often of
Indifferent quality, and made hard by
the application of water in the un-
drained pots. Not unfreguently, too,
we hear this class of people wonder
why they do not have any success with
flowers.
BY all means have the windows in
which plants are kept exposed as much
as possible to the sunli ght. II bay
window, so much the better, as it gives
the plants better exposure. Arrange
all plants, if possible, so that the sun
will strike them every day. But if it
does not, change their position when
ever it is necessary to keep them from
turning to the light or becoming
one-sided: Slender plants, such as
fuchsias, heliotropes, ETC., will also need
stalking to keep them in proper position.
Swinging of the leaves should also be
attended to as often as possible, as the
dust of living rooms has pernicious ef-
feet on plants, especially rough-leaved
ones. All decayed and yellow leaves
and stems should be removed from the
plants at once.
A tasteful collection of window plants
does not necessarily include very many
kinds. Such plants as the following
will make q very attractive window
roses, geraniums, heliotrope, fuchsias,
calla lily, carnations, begonias and n.y.
drangeas, with smilax and German ivy
tastefully trained as vines.
The plants especially desirable for
window gardening are those that will
furnish an abundance of bloom. The
choicer the bloom the better, of course,
but the aim should be to have plenty of
coloring to contrast with the green TO-
liage. A point worthy of attention in
growing window plants is to have them
of symmetrical form, which adds greatly
to their beauty and economy of space on
the shelves. Geraniums and similar
bedding plants that have been grown in
the open ground during the summer
generally need cutting back when taken
up in the fall, as pruning induces q more
vigorous growth and comely appearance.
Old plants of heliotrope when wanted
to bloom in the house should be cut well
back wien taken up from the ground.
They will start out afresh if kept well
supplied with heat and moisture. Old
plants of verbenas are seldom taken up
from the open ground, as young plants
raised from cuttings are considered
much better. 1t is useless to attempt to
manage camelias unless moist and cool
atmosphere can be maintained, hence
the raising of this flower is not always q
success in ordinary living rooms.
To keep the soil from drying up in
flower pots it is very good plan to
place the pot in which the plant IS grow.
ing in a larger one, and fill the space
between with some misunderstanding
substance, such as sawdust, packing
moss, &c. This plan would be especi
ally useful for plants kept on bracket
shelves. The ivy geranium, which is 6
very desirable plant for the window
should always be trained to q trellis
Fuchsias should not be allowed to elon
gate much, but the aim should be te
have the plants as compact and sym
metrical as possible, and tied to, nea
stakes when necessary. There are M
plants that produce more beautiful anG
striking effects than a good collection o.
fuchsias in healthy blooming condition
but unless properly grown and trained
they are worth but little.
Plants need water according to theil
individual requirements. All the wate
that any plant needs Is enough to keey
its roots constantly moist. Some plant
will stand more water than is actually
needed for their sustenance. To thesl
water may be applied without restraint
Others, from the delicate nature of thei
roots and leaves, decay from the appli
cation of too much water, and to such i
should be applied only when necessary
Water applied to soil very often, if tn
pots are allowed to dry out rapidly, ha
a tendency to pack and bake the soil
and it is . good plan to keep the pot
"plunged" in moss or sawdust, whel
practicable.-COr. Examiner and Chron
icke.