Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-15
GARDENING FROM A WINDOW
Plants to Choose and Their Care
By JOHN BARTRAM

Taking up from Thursday "Unfortun-
ate's" query as to plants that will not only
flourish hut give constant bloom in
northern light, | would suggest first of all
begonias as fulfilling these requisites,
There are two kinds, the tuberOus rooted
and the hbrous rooted, which require
somewhat different culture and so should
not be mixed The former are the more
striking In effect and have double flowers,
but Will not bloom 80 freely, though they
are generous with flowers The latter
bloom continuously from May till frost.
and may be taken indoors for later winter
blooming
Both can be grown from the soil up one
with bulbs and the other with clumps OF
roots, but il is really better 20 buy estab-
lished plants, which are ready at the
seedsmen's by or sometimes before May /.
The begonias viii permit a wide variety
Of color. Single Towering tuberOus rooted
are listed at 10 TO 10 cents each in the
named varieties which nsures control Of
the color scheme. or they can be bought
for cents each or 75 cents a dozen in
mixed varieties, the selection left to the
dealer. Personally / would buy the named
Varieties selecting a couple Of harm0nizing
hues. A very good combination would be
the Zeppelin (vermillion) and the Lafay-
ette brilliant crimson). These special
varieties are q bit dearer 20 cents each,
or 50 per dozen. A dozen would be enough,
AA@-A~
for two small window boxes Then for
the background use some Of the fancy
leaved caladums which come at 20 cents
each or 81 per dozen. Half dozen of
these would be enough for two windows.
They can be chosen In a wide variety of
foliage, to match the color scheme OF the
begonias. The Fred Bause or the ItapOcu
would make fine combination with a
choice OF red In the begonias.
In the front OF the box could be planted
fuehsias at 81 dozen or ferns like the
maidenhairs (Adlantums) at $3.50 a
dozen, or these might be used as the
entire combination, emitting the begonias
altogether though there would not be
80 much bloom.
Another suggestion would be 10 mix
sonle Of the Asparagus AIadagaseeF eFiensis
With ferns. II only green effect is sought
Ihls has glossy foliage and orange-red
berries set freely On the tips OF the
$3.50 a dozen The sO-called asparagus
fern, Plumosus Nanus. Is very effective
with its misty foliage It costs 10 cents
each or $3.50 a dozen. The emerald
feather Is another asparagus fern--Yariety
Sprengeri-whieh Is excellent for window
box use it has trailing habit and should
be used on the edge Of the box
= Other plants Tor trailing over the box
are Ninca (Yarisgated periwinkle) al 81 a
dozen. ivy geranium OF trailing fuchsias-
the tuber0us rooted begonias require a
SOL that remains moist, but Il must not
~ allowed 70 become waterloSged. Too
r ueh watering makes the plants soft and
they break down under the burden Of
The dbrous-rooted besonias
require regular watering. but not soak
ing Do not water the leaves put the
ealer along the side Of the box and
about the roots 50 that Il viii reach the
plents from beneath the foliage
1or sunny o. haa sunny situations there
5 almost so lnfnlte ehQloe Geraniums
.fa tha heai atl-roanl pianI. IS they CON
Ihaa blooming aFeH ne season = the noW-
IS ans SIS z1oa - iees begin 9 fade
taA HHE aI2 ~Iz7lF H'st
~ s. t4Eea ue< 10 AHA cel1Ia.