GROWING FLOWERS IN VASES. 



wood may be thinned out at this season 

 of the year, and the younger growth be 

 headed back only a trifle. It is a good 

 plan, then, immediately after the bloom- 

 ing season of the majority of kinds, to 

 cut back the flowering wood ; this will 

 lead to a fine crop of young shoots later 

 for the next season's bloom. A general 

 exception should be noted in the case 

 of such shrubs as do not bloom on the 

 previous year's shoots, but on those that 



grow the same season. Amon^:, such 

 are hardy hydrangeas, altheas, coronillas, 

 burning bush, late-flowering spiraeas and 

 roses. All such should be severely 

 pruned early in the spring, cutting back 

 not only the past season's shoots to two 

 buds each, but also cutting away enough 

 of the old growth to leave the bush quite 

 compact at the beginning of the season's 

 growth. — \'ick's Magazine. 



GROWING FLOWERS IN VASES. 



for 



RETTY, delicate vines give the 

 bright, finishing effect to a col- 

 lection of flowers that lace gives 

 to draperies. The best place 

 these airy creepers and delicate 



drooping plants is in vases and hanging 

 baskets These need not be expensive 

 nor of elaborate designs to make lovely 

 objects on the lawn or piazza. Boxes 

 covered roughly with a rustic net-work 

 of knots and twigs, or evenly with split 

 rough-barked limbs put on in bold pat- 

 terns are quite as handsome in their way, 

 and much more suitable to ordinary sur- 

 roundings, than marble or bronze vases. 

 Dozens of charming designs suggest 

 themselves as one works. Vines for 

 out door vases should be delicate, but 

 hardy. The Nasturtium, refusing to 

 run in any methodical way, utterly ig- 

 noring the most temptingly drawn string, 

 scorning the most elaborate lattice, 

 escaping the most uncompromising 

 woven wire and insisting upon rollicking 

 about in the most unhampered manner. 



is just the thing for your vases. Here 

 the roots can be kept damp and the 

 beautiful leaves and gorgeous flowers 

 wave and glow from early spring until 

 severe frost. Another extremely pretty 

 and less common vine is Thunbergia. 

 The flowers run through the yellows and 

 creams, but the colors are softer and the 

 blossoms daintier. Many of them are 

 delicate and pretty as Primroses. Both 

 these vines are hardy annuals, coming 

 easily from seeds, and furnishing many 

 handsome flowers. Some varieties of 

 Clematis are lovely for vases, and the 

 tender Ivies do well if somewhat shaded. 

 For the centres Heliotrope and Fuch- 

 sias are better than Geraniums, even in 

 hot sunshine. But if an annual is de- 

 sired, nothing equals the Petunia. It 

 blooms constantly, is of half trailing 

 habit, is hardy and always beautiful. 

 Petunias grow much better in vases than 

 in beds. Like most annuals they are 

 hungry and like rich food. — Parks' Flo- 

 ral Magazine. 



Alvssum saxatiU compactnm yields a 

 mass of golden yellow flowers, and, like 

 the arabis can be used with the spring 

 flowering bulbs either for an edging or 



planted in a mass, allowing the bulbs 

 to come up all through it ; the effect 

 will be very pleasing. Sow it now (July). 

 — Gardening. 



