Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-16
WINDOW GARDENING.
1t Promises to be I'm Great Favor This
Coming Winter.
WHY HOUSE PLANTS ARE BECOMING MORE PoPU-
LAR-wHERE AND HOW TO ARRANGE THEM
OPPORTUNITIES OF THE BAY wISDow-AN
INEFFECTIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT PLANTS.


OPPORTUNITIES OF THE BAY wISDow-AN
KFFEcTIvE ARRANaEMENT-pEsIRAB PLANTS
In the windows of many of washington's
lovely homes there may be seen by the passer-
by pretty and effective arrangements of bloom
| ing flowers and richly colored foliage plants
partially concealed from view by the graceful
drapery of daphanous lace curtains The odd
plant or potted flower TO be found a few years
ago. nurtured and cared for with the tenderes.
attentions, has given away to the more preten-
tous yet practical window garden. some Of
which are perfect gems of artistic arrangement
and taste. The attention and service devoted
by the government to the floral ornamentaton
of the pretty parks and triangles through the
city. in the courts of and around and about
the pu"Iic buildings has proven an incentive.
an example and teacher to the student and
devotee OF Horticulture and led to the establish
ment OF flower yards and gardens where there
were waste places, and the transformation OF
already pretty bay windows to charming bowers
OF ferns and blooming plants.
Those who plan now or later on to take up
plants from the beds and expect them to go
right along growing and blooming in the
window ali winter will find the theory a fruit
less one. Upon the condition of the plants
much If not everything depends 1t is not to
be supposed that condition means merely a
nouflshlng appearance, for. whether taken
from the ground or obtained from a florist.
plants when transferred to their designated
pace IN the house, rally look well with a
wreath of leaves, blossoms and buds. 1t is a
mistake to take plant from the bed Just be-
fore frost or cold weather. Though it be
handled ever so carefully. many OF the little
roots that supply the branches and leaves with
nourlshment and moisture are severed and the
supply being suddenly cut off the branches
shrlvel. leaves turn yellow and drop off
ana all hopes of success 90 with them.
Few plants grow in winter until toward spring
They do we'll to hold their own and maintain
their greatness and freshness They should
be well grown In the pots or boxes in which
they are to be kept when indoors before taken
into the house, or, what is wiser, NAV be bought
at the green house before they have fires, so
that they may become accustomed 10 the at
mosphere OF the house in which they are to
winter. Home preparations for plants in winter
should be made during the previous spring and
summer and allowed a moderate amount of
heat, sun and moisture. These conditions are
absolutely essenti al 10 their successful culture
Careful attention from the beginning and dis
cretlon i'll transferring them to and selecting
suitable location indoors will insure a happy
return instead of the sickly. cousumptve-look-
ing window garden one so often sees.
WHERE AND HOW TO ARRANGE THEM.
Where should the plants be put and how should
they be arranged? These questions are not
always easily answered. In the first place costly
plants ofcertain kinds needspecial and appropri-
| ate provision and surroundings when the sery-
Ices and tastes of professional florist should be
called into requlsiton. Ii is of the less expen-
slyc but no less beautiful and pleasure-giving
window gardening this chapter will treat-a
source OF enjoyment within reach of the hum
Dlest homes. As a rule have but one window
given up to plants, and make that attractive
alike to the family. the visitor and to every
passer-by. If there are certain little fingers
ABOUT that VIII insist upon pulling the blooms
or plnchnG the leayes-and the household
without those certain little mischipvous fingers
needs more than ever the cheering presence of
pretty, growing fowers-swinging brackets
can be put up each side of the window with
places Tor one or more plants and hanging
pot for u center piece. A pot of tradescautia
can be put on bracket in corner or under a
picture or on mantel, where it will grow all
winter without particle of sun if properly
watered and cared for. Next to a conservatory
LARGE BAY WINDOW
facing the south Is the best place for plants
because they have light from either side as
well as front. Ii there can be glass doors be-
tween them and the room so much the better;
then you will have little summer all shut
IN. Many have sets of shelves arranged the
height OF the window sill and another set half
way up the sash. In this way they can be
made TO appear well from the inside as to
the admirer on the outside. Tall, overgrown
plants are undesirable, as they take up all the
"ihuo" anu III C IL ever DOuy way.
An EFFECTIVE ARRANGEMENT.
A plant table in bay window offers variety
of effective arrangements. 1t may be a very
simply constructed black walnut table frame,
made in size to correspond with the dimensions
OF the window, with turned legs which rest
upon good stout casters. The sides should be
eight Inches deep, with cleat at the bottom of
the inside on which to rest sats-like those of a
bedstead. On these rests zinc pan which fits
the inside, the upper edge of which is turned
over strong wire. In the bottom Of the pan
should be an inch of drainage made from pieces
OF broken pots or charcoal broken small with
spagnum moss on top. Then fill in a little soil
and slip the plants out of the pots, picking off
the drainage. and arrange them to suit the
taste, hlllng In with soil carefully and COM
pactly. Leave an inch at the top for
watering. Give a good watering and shade
few days until they get well settled This
table can be filled with all towering plants or
with plants grown for foliage alone The adj
vantages of this kind of an arrangement are
that the plants can share the sun alike, as the
table can be turned around once week. thus
lnsurlng an even growth and not one-sided as
commonly seen. Then, again. it can be easily
pinned up with newspapers cold nights or when
sweeping the room. The casters euable YOU to
wheel the whole thing to the kitchen or bath
room for weekly bath.
The plants may be left in pots if desired and
the smaller ones with dropping vines placed ON
the euSes. In THIS case an inch or SO of coarse
sand should be put in the zinc basin, on which
to put the pots and to keep them moist, the
pots resting directly on the soil.
THE SELECTION OF PLANTS.
The selection of suitable plants should be
governed largely by the exposure Of the in
tended location. The morning sun is the
great stimulator Of growth and bloom and a
healthy appearance generally, and only plants |
that love the shade will prove at all satlsfac- |
tory without this hfe-giving tonic A south |
ern exposure Is, of course, preferable, but all |
exposures from the east around to the west
are available. A northern window is useful |
chiefly for ferns, colens, some species of |
fuchlas and winter shade-loving plants. From |
an eastern and southern exposure may be Gull |
hvated bonvardias, bulbs Zonale geraniums
cactus, hoya or wax plant, winter blooming |
begonla, oxalis, valotta, l:num trigynum liiy |
OF the valley, saliva and peiargonium Among |
leaf plants: Aspcdistra, folia variegata man
randla, amaryllis, narcissus, lantana ipomea,
bridal rose, cobea scandens sweet-scented gera-
NUNS and some Others
For sunny windows with wood fire (or apy |
other heat under modified circumstances) NAV
be used abution roses, ixia, iris, calla oxalis
rosea, hyacinths, yellow fax, passion vine and |
cyclamen. OF leaf plants, azalea, cineraria,
lilium, auratum, daphne, Chinese primrose,
hellotrope, tropeolum, jessamine, mahernia, &c. |
Many OF these may be grown In western win
dows also under suitable conditions A num-
Der OF these will flourish in all exposures.