BALCONY-GARDENING 2 1 



shoots that are wanted for beauty. Forsythia, with its 

 golden flowers of February and March, delight us some- 

 times on the fronts of London houses in very early 

 spring, but the foliage is not so decorative afterwards, and 

 for the balcony we must have summer beauty. The 

 Virginia Creeper, that we have brought from the generous 

 West (along with other pretty things and people), is now 

 so familiar that we forget that it is really a new-comer. 

 It was in 1841, at the back of a house in Rutland Gate, 

 that the Virginia Creeper made its first appearance in 

 London. Since then how much it has done to beautify 

 our towns, both the common kind and the small-leaved 

 Ampelopsis Veitchii, whose habit of self-clinging renders 

 it so invaluable. Some critics think we use this Creeper 

 too freely, but I do not agree with them. Either on 

 grey stone or brick, or trellis-work or rails, its light 

 festoons of green, or red, or crimson — as the sun has dyed 

 them — give summer grace and autumn colour. Of the Ivy 

 there is no occasion to speak, except to remind that there 

 are more kinds than one. Good balcony shrubs for back- 

 grounds are easily found, and in many contrasting tints of 

 green and gold. With respect to pot plants, Mrs. Earle 

 gives a suggestion that is worth following up : — 



" One day outside a dining-room window of a London 

 house I noticed some large, heavy, oblong Japanese flower- 

 pots planted with single plants. They looked very well, 

 as one was able to see the growth of the plants. The 

 pots were glazed, and much thicker than the ordinary 

 flower-pot. This lessens evaporation, and their weight 

 prevents them from being blown over." 



Ordinary flower-pots are not suitable in our climate 

 for outer windows and balconies. 



I am convinced that for furnishing the balcony there 

 is a great future for strong, well-made, handsome pots. It 

 is wonderful what can be grown in them. No one 

 understands this better than the flower-lover who has 



