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Window-gardening. The growing of plants in windows and similar openings, particularly when conducted as a regular and systematic undertaking.

Although not strictly a part of the planting of the property, window- and veranda-boxes give color and tone to the place as well as provide pleasure and satisfaction for the inmates of the residence. For those who live in crowded localities or are unable to care for a garden, these outside boxes offer an opportunity for a display of flowers, not only in the summer months, but, in the case of window-boxes and by the substitution of other kinds of plants, through the winter months as well. The illustrations (Figs. 4001-4003) show good forms of window-boxes. The first two are drawn from illustrations in Gardening, May 15, 1916. See House Plants, Vol. III.

These boxes may be purchased and may be highly ornate, having pattern tiling or made of finely finished wood and suspended by fancy brackets; but such boxes are not necessary. A stout pine box of the required length, from 10 to 12 inches wide and at least 6 inches deep, if painted a suitable color serves quite as well as the others, for the side and ends of the box should be soon covered by the drooping vines. Provision for drainage should be made by boring holes in the bottom of the box, these holes being covered with pieces of broken pots, coal-cinders or gravel-stones. This allows for the drainage of water while holding the earth from escaping. The soil for these window-boxes should be rich in plant-food, as the roots will be restricted. The most desirable soil is one that does not pack hard when watered, or contract much when dry, but remains porous and springy.

This soil may be made by mixing two parts of garden loam, one part of leaf-mold or wood earth, and one part of sand. To this mixture should be added well-decayed manure, preferably cow-manure, at the rate of one peck to two bushels of soil.

Many kinds of plants may be used in window- and porch-boxes, but in planting one should choose the subjects most suitable for the particular exposure. If the boxes are to be placed in full sunlight, it will be necessary to choose vigorous-growing sun-loving plants. For a shady corner or a northern exposure, more delicate plants may be used. For the former, such plants as geranium, coleus, achyranthes (iresine), Paris daisy, double petunias, may be used; or, if a more pretentious display is desired, crotons, colored-leaved dracenas, acalypha, aspidistra, or small palms may be employed. Low-growing plants for the front of the box may consist of the dwarf white-leaved geranium Madame Salleroi, the golden feverfew, lobelia, sweet alyssum, and the white-leaved cineraria. For the drooping vines, nothing excels the variegated-leaved vinca, nasturtiums, tradescantia, and German ivy. If the position is shady, vigorous-growing ferns, such as the nephrolepis, a few of the pteris, and perhaps the hardiest of the adiantums are effective. The narrow-leaved dracena (Cordyline indivisa), grevillea, and Rex begonias are all good plants for shady places.

After the plants have filled the box with roots, it will be necessary to work into the soil more plant-food, either a light coating of bone-meal or a thicker layer of well-rotted manure; still better would be a watering about once each week with dilute liquid manure.

One of the objections to veranda-boxes, especially those that are fastened permanently in place, is that in winter they are usually bare of foliage and therefore unsightly. This disadvantage may be overcome and a seasonable appearance given by the use of small conifers, broad-leaved evergreens, small Irish junipers, low-growing junipers, arbor-vitae, both pyramidal or globular, young trees of spruce, hemlock, or pine. Of broad-leaved evergreens, dwarf box, mahonia, Evonymus radicans and pachysandra or Vinca minor are all available. To lighten the somber effect of the solid green, small shrubs bearing bright-colored fruits may be introduced, such as dwarfed plants of barberry, either Berberis vulgaris bearing long clusters of dark red fruits or B. Thunbergii with bright scarlet berries borne along the gracefully bending branches. Privets, either Ligustrum vulgare or L. Regelianum, are good for berries, both bearing clusters of blue-black fruits contrasting well with the green of the conifers or the reds of the barberry; these fruits are held through the winter without change in color. Hardy strains of English ivy or drooping plants of Evonymus radicans may be used to hide the boxes in winter.

It often happens that one or more plants in a box fail to thrive and the desired effect is lost. An attempt to remove such a plant by digging it out injures the remaining plants, or if the plant is cut out spaces are left. This condition may be obviated by using pot-grown plants, setting the pots containing the plants in the boxes and filling in around the pots with earth or moss; by so doing, any one plant may be removed and another substituted without injury or check to those remaining. By this method it is also possible to effect quick changes in the character of the boxes. The change may be from the winter material to spring-flowering bulbs, from bulbs to pansies, then to summer-blooming annuals, and again to autumn-blooming plants. Combinations may be changed at will, seasonable effects be secured, and the monotony of a planted box be overcome. It is not necessary to grow the plants in large pots, a 4- or 5-inch size being large enough for most of the kinds to be used. In employing this method, however, it is best to have 2 or 3 inches of rich earth in the bottom of the box on which to place the pots; the roots of the plants will escape through the hole in the bottom of the pot and find sufficient food to develop.

This plan of filling the boxes with potted plants will recommend itself when it is not possible to heat the room at all times, as a schoolroom from Friday until Monday; in this case the plants may be carried home over this period.
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