98 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



cement, or stone. Window boxes are equally useful 

 and not less ornamental. 



The plain neutral gray of Florentine mission 

 houses needs a touch of color to brighten their other- 

 wise somber appearance. It is also true that window 

 boxes do much to lighten the paint and stain effects 

 on wooden buildings. For the purpose nothing seems 

 more- suitable than ivy geraniums, and these may 

 be had in a great variety of colors or shades. For 

 dark buildings any shade from pure white to pink 

 will prove harmonious, but those having a touch of 

 magenta or purple should be avoided either in win- 

 dow box or garden. For the Quaker gray above 

 noted the pinks only should be used and the deeper 

 the gray or cream of plastered houses, the deeper 

 should be the shade of the flowers used. This class 

 of geraniums has been much improved of late, and 

 you may easily obtain any shade of pink desired. 



While plants in window boxes should have plenty 

 of room to grow, it is also necessary to have them 

 somewhat effective at once, so that fair-sized plants 

 must be used. Therefore get large plants in small 

 pots and you will have them fairly showy from the 

 start and yet be able to plant them in small compass. 

 In nearly all cases window boxes are wholly insuf- 

 ficient in capacity, especially as regards depth, so 

 that care must be taken to have them filled with 

 none but the richest soil. For the same reason it is 

 best to remove from the roots of the plants used as 

 much soil as is possible safely, so that it may be 

 replaced by the fresh and stronger. 



Owing to root disturbance it will be found advis- 

 able to keep the boxes cool and shaded for a few 

 days after planting, or until the plants have resumed 

 root action and former functions. In filling in the 

 soil it is best to put on the bottom, before setting 



