WINDOW-BOXES AND PORCH-BOXES 185 



Special Plants Required for West or South Exposures 



An exposure to the south or west is a trying one for a win- 

 dow garden, as the great heat of the afternoon sun is reflected 

 upon the plants with almost terrific effect. It is, of course, 

 desirable to choose for such exposures hardy plants from more 

 or less tropical climates, which will thrive under these condi- 

 tions. Perhaps no plants are better adapted to this exposure 

 than the nasturtiums. One can easily obtain beautiful 

 boxes from nasturtiums alone, planting the tall-growing sorts 

 along the margins, to hang over the sides or be trained up 

 beside the windows, and in the middle the Dwarf or Tom 

 Thumb varieties, to yield an attractive upright foliage and a 

 vast abundance of beautiful flowers. No plants are more 

 satisfactory and more easily grown in a window-box, and 

 one can easily choose from the great number of varieties now 

 available a wide range of colors in flowers. Most people 

 have decided preferences with regard to these, and one should 

 choose named varieties, the colors of which are individually 

 attractive. If one has already started some nasturtium seed- 

 lings in pots, it will be desirable to transfer them directly to 

 the window-box, and thus have them reach the blossoming 

 period earlier. 



No plants are more satisfactory for use in these boxes, 

 that get the full glare of the sun, than the various geraniums, 

 those hardy flowers which seem so well adapted to all condi- 

 tions of existence. One can get a great range of color in the 

 blossoms of these geraniums, one of the most popular being 

 the brilliant hues of the variety called Eugene Sue. Another 

 favorite is the variety called Bruant, which has blossoms of a 



