NEW YORK, OCTOBER, 1875, 
By Henry T. Williams, 
Price 12 Cents, 
SKETCH OF A WINDOW GARDEN. 
BY M. NEALL. 
It is a spacious bay window, with a southern ex- 
Prom a hanging has - 
climbing Ferns, curious Walking Leaves, Pitcher silver Moonworts and pearl Plantains. The chief 
Plants, Scarlet Cup-Moss, and green frosted with convenience of this arrangement of plants is the 
entrance on each side of them 
to the window. Here are two 
small recesses, with two tiny 
tables in them; the one is 
used for a writing desk, and 
on the other is the last Har¬ 
per, Scribner's, and the Flo¬ 
ral Cabinet. Overhead, in 
suspended vases, are bloom¬ 
ing Lobelia flowers of blue, 
and pink, and star-eyed Oxa- 
lis. Between them, in a hand¬ 
some bird-cage, swings the 
gayest and prettiest canary 
that ever trilled a carol. 
“Fun” is his name, and fun 
is his nature. Every day he 
waits by his little door till it 
is opened, and he comes out 
to make his afternoon calls. 
He will fly to my finger and 
talk to me in the drollest im¬ 
aginable chirrups, and then 
pour through his throbbing 
throat a flood-tide of entranc¬ 
ing melody. Birds lead a 
lonesome life if we do not al¬ 
ways try to make them feel 
they are really one of the 
family. I must not forget my 
nook for garden favorites, 
which received not a little at¬ 
tention. Sweet Peas, Alys- 
sum, Mignonette, etc., as well 
as numerous devices, I am 
continually trying for experi¬ 
ment. Very charming is the 
result if, for instance, you tie 
a bit of muslin over a tumbler, 
depressing in the centre till it 
touches the water, and drap¬ 
ing seeds thereon. The dain¬ 
ty Violets and sprouting leaves 
form a beautiful study. Here 
one can read or write in the 
odorous atmosphere or regale 
the senses as in summer with 
the perfume and beauty of 
the many lovely flowers. 
posure. 
ket over the entrance and on 
the floor at each side start the 
Ivies—English, German and 
Irish—their twining tracery 
forming a lovely border and 
rich relief work upon the pan¬ 
els. Directly underneath the 
rustic basket, on a flower 
stand, is a superb Calladium, 
with its peculiar and highly- 
ornamental foliage. A Calla 
is on either side, and under 
this green canopy an aqua¬ 
rium, with the merry fish, 
like gleams of gold, darting- 
over the fringing mosses and 
marble sands. Groups of 
plants cluster all about it and 
extend along in front to the 
centre of the window. Here 
are Geraniums of all colors, 
Pelargoniums, Heliotropes, 
Roses, Lilies, and Carnations, 
and for oriental effect, a few 
French Poppies, which de¬ 
velop a somewhat gaudy and 
very showy flower. Achy- 
ranthus Lindeni form an 
elegant contrast in their ruby 
and green liveries. Of the 
three hundred and fifty species 
of the Begonia family, for a 
wonderful plant commend me 
to the Begonia rex, with its 
beautifully-marked and crim¬ 
son leaves. Back of the 
flower-stand is the Wardian 
case, in which many of our 
native ferns and mosses vie 
with those of the florists, the 
Silver Leaf or the delicate 
tropical Maiden-hair. A lim¬ 
pid little stream at the bottom 
is spanned by a mossy arch 
formed of Scoria, with grace¬ 
ful festoons of the Moneywort 
growing in the clefts pur- 
. posely made for it. Here are 
Palm for Garden Decoration. 
a.S*/iOBFT.X. 
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