WINDOW AND PORCH BOXES 116 



Polygonum cuspidatum with excellent results in win- 

 dow and porch boxes where a mass of foliage was 

 desired as a screen rather than a floral display. It 

 is a very handsome plant with its ovate leaves of a 

 rich green, red stems and, in August, wealth of foamy 

 flowers of a greenish white. White, by the way, is 

 about the most valuable color in all window planting 

 and should be used freely, especially with shades of 

 red and yellow and to lighten up an otherwise too 

 sombre planting. The Polygonum, by the way, is 

 good for sleeping porch boxes as it furnishes a screen, 

 and climbing rather than trailing vines may be 

 selected. For balconies I always like bright flowers 

 as, being rather high, the softer colors are rather in- 

 conspicuous. Trailing vines, too, are to be preferred 

 and the nasturtiums are desirable. So common a vine 

 as the wild cucumber can be used to advantage if it 

 is removed as soon as it begins to fade. Its delicate 

 flowers are lovely with pink geraniums, petunias, 

 justitias and the like. 



