Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18
IN WINDOW CULTURE
Practical and Ornamental
Devices to Follow.
LITTLE GREENHOUSES
A FOUNTAIN PLAYS IN THE CEN
TER OF SOME.
Beautifying the Fire Escape-Hanging
Baskets and Fancy
Pots
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
The fact that Paris is one of the most
beautiful and attractive cities In the world
indeed In dubbed ia BELLE is due in a
great measure to the wealth of flowers to
be seen everywhere. Not only are the
boulevards shaded by beautiful trees, but
the shrubs and plants in these avenues are
merely a trifie more luxuriant and lovely
than their contemporaries growing in the
window boxes that look down in bright,
blooming fashion from the neighboring
houses.
Even out of the fog and mist of London
loom dainty and artistic window pictures
in flowers, and in the German cities the
love of nature is also made evident in this
gracious manner.
In America lately we have made some
feeble efforts in the direction of outdoor
window culture. Several cities are the
proud possessors of blocks beautiful" In
which the inhabitants of the houses vie
with each other in unique and charming
arrangements of plants and blossoms.
These efforts have not been sufficiently
concerted SO far to produce any decidedly
marked change in the aspect of our streets;
still We have graSped the possibilities of
this cult. and hint to the adaptable
American woman is sufficient.
The following very practical and orna-
mental devices for window decoration are
and may be successfully adopted by the
lover of flowers.
One of his more ambitious creations may
for want of better name be called
greenhouse in miniature. 1t is made of
glass and wood, like it's namesake, and
may be bought of any desired shape or
size to fit over window box outside
window, or. If preferred, is equally well
adapted to the inside Of a room.
Need Plenty Air.
AS air is almost as great a necessity to
plants to animals, these houses are VEN
tilated by means Of fine wire gauze placed
at the back of the case nearest the win
dow pane.
In this way air is admitted and all i'm
purities are excluded. The 'house" is
fitted in position by means of strong iron
brackets fastened to the wall outside the
window The case may come half way up
the window pane without greatly inter.
least twelve inches high on the outside and
slope upward toward the window at an
angle of 80 degrees The plants will then
have plenty of room in which to grow and
can be arranged from the inside of the
house.
The glass case does look somewhat like
an inclosed shop counter. Still the 1mpor-
lance of a window garden being under glass
cannot be overestimated The changes of
temperature outside are so variable even
in spring that the precaution appeals to
one at once.
Can Supply Heat.
Another advantage of the glass case is
that it may be heated, a receptacle for
holding hot water being fitted in the bot
tom of the case.
For one of these covered winter houses
begonias, fuchsias and plants of that fam
lily thrive best and with proper care will
blossom all winter long.
If one wants to be very elegant and
dainty, fountain playing in the middle
Of the greenhouse is pretty addition.
These can be bought at moderate cost. The
piping is either connected with an ordinary
water tap or pan Is filled with suff1cient
water to make the fountain run for some
time
The miniature greenhouse is rather ex-
pensive and will be beyond the reach of the
many who have only few dollars to eX-
pend on the garden.
The simplest and cheapest form of win
dow garden is the window box. This may
not be as dainty and original as the con-
triVance just described but in good color
ings, when prettily filled and painted, 1t is
most attractive.
Many lovely ones are to be purchased
with tiled and mosaic designs although the
homemade box lined with zinc Is a very
acceptable substitute. These boxes hold
quantity of earth, and in summer cal
ceolarias, geranums and nasturtiums
bloom abundantly and look well in them
Trained in Fan Shapes.
Fuchsias trained out in fan shape on thin
sticks painted green and ivy treated in
the same way when placed in the center of
the box are extremely pretty
Very few persons realize the beauty OF
passion flowers as a window adornment.
The Parisians plant them in small pots
made to harmonic with the brick or stone
work of the house and train the vine
around the entir6k frame of the window,
making charming bower. A single grape,
vine grown in a window box and trained
like the passion flower is another exquisite
and seldom seen effect Where water IS
available a miniature rockery can be ar
ranged sloping down from the sides to
the center of the window sill, where a
basin is fixed to catch the little rills. Hardy
ferns and MOSES will do well in this rock
cry.
ornamental pots set on window slis are
always to be seen and appreciated. Some
of the new Doulton ware jars are part1cu-
larly nice for this purpose. OF course, you
know the plants must never be placed Ill
rectly in the ornamental Jar, put hrst
planted in an ordinary one, the spaces be
tween being filled in with moss or sand
Pretty also are the hanging baskets hung
outside the window filled with variety OF
creeping cereus.
with cacti These look well all the year
round, but must be protected by glass, as
they are sensitive to changes in tempera-
ture.
Creeping Vines.
I once saw pretty picture made by
small, -clinging, creeping plant which
was apparently incorporated in the lower
panes of large window. The creeper, al
though a tropical one, seemed to thrive
splendidly. Upon investigation I found
that the window was double. The lower
part of the frame was hollow and filled
with EARTH in which the creeper had been
planted
The Italian loggia has become so much a
part of our modern architecture that one
may gather valuable hints as to outdoor
decorations from the exquisite manner in
which plants are arranged in these pleas
ant galleries. 1t is within the power of the
clever window gardener to work out many
lovely schemes, and now in the spring is
the time to begin. There is philanthropy
In this kind Of work 1t is thrice blessed
not only to him who gives but to him who
takes in the pleasure from the sidewalk.
Even the homely fire escape-the garden
of the fiat and apartment house-may be
made to blossom as the rose when little
care is expended upon it's iron rigidness. a
common box such as grocers have filled
with soap, starch and the like is an excel
lent bed for this garden.
Paint the box good green color with
three coats Of paint, then have florist
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