The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-07
The Ornamental Sweet Pea Hedge.

Sweet peas make a very pretty and eff
fective hedge, thus combining beauty and
utility-and in a much shorter time than
any other plants so employed In one case
this fragrant hedge was ninety feet long,
and it was used to separate the clothes
drying space from the more attractive
grounds. The vines attained the hight
of nearly six feet, and were in perfect
bloom and beauty all the summer through
having been painted early in the spring
in two rows about two and a half feet
apart.
Abundant support was furnished in an
arrangement of cedar poles and telegraph
wire the former being planted as a tri-
pod al each end of the rows, and the wire
attached at the foot of the outside poles
and where the poles crossed. The wires
were drawn tight and supported at reg
ular distances for the vines to attach
themselves fine linen Irvine being carried
from wire to wire and soon covered-so
that at a little distance the vines seemed
to stand alone. The poles of the tripods
rose some distance above their crossings,
and these wer soon decorated with the
bells of the morning glory, so similar in
its variety of colorings to that of the
sweet pea.
When in full beauty this floral hedge
was a highly decorative object, and 1t eff
fectually screened the unsightliness of the
family wash from fastidious eyes. 1t could
be far more easily accomplished in city
yard, which often does not reach quar-
ter of the ninety feet across which this
one so admirably combined the beautiful
with the practical.
1t could also be made a lovely and
fragrant screen against the ugliness visi-
BILE from many back windows. Given a
long narrow box for this purpose, with
a simple trellis-work of ordinary wire or
Irvine, well-pulverized and enriched earth
with a small addition Of sand and a mod
crate amount of sunshine-sweet pea vines
being easily scorched, and If not actually
dying, losing all their beauty in conse-
quence-and a pretty window, a fragrant
room and plenty of blossoms for cutting
may be confidently counted on.
A popularity of sweet peas is that the
higher they are trained the more pro-
fusely they will bloom and II all fading
blossoms are removed before they can go
to seed constant succession of bloom is
secured. pretty garden device is a
sweet pea fountain. which is produced
by planting a tall upright post firmly in
the ground and attaching the skeleton
of an umbrella to IL at the top. The vines
planted at its base will climb and droop
from the edge OF the umbrella-the un-
folding blossoms and sprays disposlng
themselves IN such IdSuiOH AHdb Nne iued
of a floral fountain Is easily suggested.
Like roses and some other flowers.
sweet peas display their greatest beauty
of coloring. and put forth their utmost
powers Of bloom IN a soft, brny atmos-
phere They love the seashore In shell
tered spots. and the winged petals seem
to take on a velvet texture-the rich com
plexions of the painted Ladies'" glow
with deeper hues-and more retiring sis
ters in violet and purple catch from the
contact with salt air brighter and newer
tints. Even the white sweet pea shows
more dazzling Wilderness.
As a winter plant the sweet pea Is not
so satisfactory as one could wish. 10
has been sometimes tried In a hanging bas-
ket and coaxed into moderate bloom amid
winter SHOWS; but Il does not take kindly
10 such conditions. and is so chary Of lts
blossoms that the most inveterate plant
lover becomes discouraged. Ella Rodman
Church. in Ladies' Home journal.