"THE SEASON" WINDOW-BOX 15 



these summer flowers have been grown in a hot place. 

 At all times it is well to know the previous history of 

 each plant we buy, and something of its pedigree. Plants 

 have their pasts as well as people, and they should be 

 considered. We want those that have been brought up 

 hardily, not forced. 



In early summer the multitude of floral beauties before 

 us to choose from is bewildering, yet nearly every one fixes 

 his affections on the same flowers year by year, and no 

 doubt will continue to do so, for they never fail to please. 

 London would not be itself without its windows framed 

 with clusters of white Marguerites and bright Geraniums 

 (generally pink), with a neat edging of Lobelia. There 

 will be slight variations in the kind and colour of the 

 flowers, and sometimes trailing Ivy-leafed Geraniums will 

 add a note of grace. For a lovely pink nothing surpasses 

 the Geraniums " Christine Nielson " or " Olive Carr." 

 But variety is the spice of life. Why cannot some of 

 us, for a change, choose white Geraniums — " Queen of 

 Whites," for instance — and fill the spaces in between 

 with Petunias, single and double ? Petunias are now 

 brought to the greatest perfection, and may be had in 

 splendid colours, shading from palest pink to the deepest 

 crimson, and the fringed blossoms are exquisite. The 

 freedom of their growth is a welcome set-ofF to the 

 stately deportment of Geranium "Queens." And we 

 might have yellow Marguerites, with Marigolds and 

 Nasturtiums deepening to brown and orange. Fuchsias 

 with Heliotrope (only we must keep the Heliotrope out 

 of a draught), or gold and spotted Calceolarias mingled 

 with white Daisies. But is it of any use to advise 

 Calceolarias ? They are so unpopular nowadays, though 

 some of them are not so bad, even if they do remind a 

 little of the gaping, wide-mouthed toad. One would 

 gladly see more Musk used ; it is delicious billowing 

 over pots of dark red Roses. Some say Carnations do 



