114 MAKING OF A FLOWER GARDEN 



gainvilleas, eissus, discolor crotons, Impatiens Sul- 

 tanas, and so on. 



North window boxes are, aside from brilliant color, 

 the most charming of all, for plants do so exceed- 

 ingly well here if a proper selection is made. All the 

 house ferns — Boston, Sword ferns, holly, Pteris 

 tremula, aspleniums and the like ; the asparagus ferns, 

 especially Aspa/ragus Sprengeri; the begonias, espe- 

 cially the ornamental leaved varieties other than the 

 Rex; many of the smaller palms, the palm grass, 

 abutilons, fuchsias, Wandering Jew, vincas, eissus dis- 

 color, will all thrive and show a freshness of green 

 unknown to other exposures, and lack of brilliant 

 bloom is compensated for by combining those plants 

 with variegated foliage as the abutilons, the spotted 

 f arfugium, the variegated silver and purple Wander- 

 ing Jew, and so on. 



General summer care consists principally in sup- 

 plying abundant water, in keeping the vines in check, 

 removing all dead leaves and nipping back too am- 

 bitious plants for, unless it is desired to screen the 

 window underneath which the boxes are placed, they 

 should not be allowed to obstruct the view; for this 

 reason only those plants of moderate growth should 

 be selected. For porch boxes, placed at a level with 

 the floor and used in a measure as a source of privacy, 

 taller plants may be selected and anything used which 

 wiU thrive in a restricted area. I have used the 



