Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-02
Window Boxes Of Flowers.

OF home decorations. nothing has ever
pleased me better than some outside
window boxes that l had last season.
They were made of pine, three feet in
length, one foot in width and nine inches
deep. To simulate panels a piece of
moulding was put around the edges Of
the sides and the ends. The supports
were iron brackets screwed to the house,
the horizontal part just long enough to
hold the boxes, which were closely fitted
under the window stills. Both boxes and
brackets were painted like the body Of
the house-an olive drab-so that the
latter were inconspicuous when not oc-
cupied.
The boxes were filled with well-en-
riched sandy loan, with a sprinkling OF
charcoal and guano, and planted with
strong healthy plants the latter part Of
May. For bloom 1 depended mostly
upon geraniums, having some of the
best varieties known to florists, and /
placed lengthwise OF each box three or
four large plants, filling in smaller nes
in front and in the rear, together with
the finest varieties of coleus and achy-
ronthus, and plants also with small
delicate foliage. in front a large silver
leaved geranium occupied the centre of
one box, a white centaurea the other.
Shades of rose color and lake FREEDOM
mated in one, mixed with blue lobelia
or blue ipomea.
For trailers, masses of Othanna cross
folia served me with many seedlings of
thunbergia raised in a hotbed. The lat
ter gave an abundance of pure white
flowers, and Of deep orange and buff.
Pilogyne suavis was also utilized, and it
had a wonderful growth, often sweeping
the ground, or running from box to box.
The geraniums outdid themselves. They
were young, stocky and eager to
display their beauty-great rosy clus-
tiers appeared here and there, vieing
with the scarlet or crimson sorts, which
were very handsome in their emerald
setting.
Not only were the plants disposed to
advantage in front, but / was still more
anxious to make the back side such as
to crafty the eye within the room, for
at these windows we had our easy chairs,
and did our sewing and reading, and
the close proximity of the plants gave
us uluCu sdClSAaCUloA. AZ ID dlNayo PlCtto-
ant to look up from your book or your
work to rest the eye on something agree
able-a picture, a rose of flowers, or q
corner of the room with artistic arrange
ments, so this bit of gardening with its
gorgeous coloring so near was truly
charming.
The Astounding vitality, the tender
shading of color and highly decorative
effect are not easily forgotten, and COM
PEELED admiration from those who were
determined not to be pleased. 1t was
said: ''You won't like the boxes"
''They will be a failure" ''The plants
will burn up with glass for a back
ground" You can't use your blinds to
darken the room, and when the hot
weather and the flies come you will
wish your boxes elsewhere" Finally,
''You had better leave window boxes
for city people" 1t was %ungracious in
me not to heed these criticisms, but as
l did not [ can now confidently COM
mend the plan to all who desire to make
their surroundings attractive.
Doubtless the idea originated in the
city where there was not ground for
flower beds, but there is no reason why
it should be confined there, for it fur
nishes a rare opportunity to embellish the
country home. 1t is a great saving of
labor, as the boxes can be watered from
within, which is far less work than to
water garden vases and flower beds,
and with c~ultivators there is always
enough of that to do. With thick shades
and wire screens we scarcely missed the
use of the window blinds. To fill such
boxes many plants are needed; they
should be vigorous, well grown, and
ready to bloom when planted. If cal
culations are made long enough before.
hand, complete success may be expected.
Cor. N. Y. Tribune.