WINDOW-GARDENING, BASKET PLANTS, AND 
CARE OF PLANTS IN ROOMS. 
The following essay by Peter Henderson, was read at the 
October meeting of the New York Horticultural Society. 
No one, unless engaged in the business extensively, as 
we are, can have any conception of the extent to which 
plants are used for window-gardening, so called, and 
also for the decorations of the sitting-room or parlor 
during the fall, winter and spring months. 
Window-gardening, as it is done in England—and it 
is yet there done much better than with us—consists in 
having boxes fitted so as to rest on the window-sill out¬ 
side the window; these, of course, being used only at 
such seasons when it is warm enough for plants to be 
placed outside. Such boxes may be made of wood, terra 
cotta, iron, or wire patterns—the latter giving free 
drainage for water. A simple and cheap window-box 
is often made of square slats an inch or so in thickness. 
These are placed at from half an inch to an inch apart 
at the bottom and side. This, like the wire window-box, 
gives ample drainage, which is always a great advan¬ 
tage to the plants; for, besides freely allowing the water 
to pass off, the spaces allow the air to get through the 
soil to the roots, a most valuable advantage to the health 
of the plants; as in wire boxes, moss, or some such 
material must be placed against the slat-work, to pre¬ 
vent the soil washing through when watering. No 
matter what material the window-box is made of, out¬ 
lets for water must be provided, either by making holes 
an inch or so in diameter, at distances of six inches 
apart, on the bottom, or making the bottom of slats 
placed one-half an inch or so apart. Window-boxes are 
often made to be quite ornamental, but that is of little 
consequence, for if the plants in them are properly 
grown, they will be the most attractive ornament; and, 
as drooping plants are essential to the beauty of the 
window-box, these quickly cover up all parts of it. The 
length and breadth of the window-box, of course, should 
conform to the size of the sill, but they should never 
exceed six inches in depth. There is nothing special in 
the soil used; the same rule applies here as for plant 
culture in pots. The best is what is called a turfy loam, 
that is, the soil formed by rotted sods that have been cut 
two inches deep from some good pasture land. That, 
with the addition of one-fourth rotted stable manure, 
well mixed through it, will answer for almost any plant 
grown. But it is often troublesome to get the materials 
to compost small quantities of soil, and it is usually the 
best plan to get what soil is wanted, either for window- 
boxes or the potting of plants, from the nearest florist. 
When the window-box is placed at a great height 
from the street, it is essential that it be filled with such 
plants as are brilliant in coloring, and of a drooping 
habit. An excellent combination is made by planting 
the first or inuer row of scarlet Geraniums, the middle 
row of the Golden Feather plant, while the outer or 
drooping line should be of Lobelia Grocilis, which has 
flowers of rich blue, drooping when well-grown from 
one and one-half to two feet. Another style is to plant 
the inside line with Pink Geraniums, the middle line of 
the “ Rainbow plant,” as it is sometimes called (Alter- 
nantherci major), the leaves of which are tinted yellow, 
violet, crimson, orange, etc., and the drooping or outer 
line of scarlet Tropoeolums. Sometimes a mixed variety 
is preferred, which may be made of Heliotropes, Lemon 
Verbenas, Fuchsias, or such plants as taste dictates, 
having the finer kinds of Verbenas or Petunias to droop. 
The plants should be set out about five or six inches apart. 
Window-boxes are often used to grow annual plants 
only, from seed, such as Mignonette, Sweet Alyssum, 
Asters, Portulacca, Drummond Phlox, etc. These had 
better be sown separately, and not mixed up in the same 
box; one line sown in the centre of the box is sufficient. 
After having the box filled with proper soil, draw a fur¬ 
row in it about half an inch deep, in that sow the seed— 
the ordinary sized packet is enough—cover the soil care¬ 
fully over it, and then press the soil so as to moderately 
firm the seed. When dry, water gently with a fine rose 
watering-pot. If the seeds are sown in the window- 
box inside the house, it may be done any time in April: 
but if not as soon wanted, the boxes are placed outside, 
then the sowing should be deferred to May. 
After the seedlings or plants have grown so as to be 
well established in the boxes, they should be copiously 
watered once every other day; if the weather is dry and 
if the boxes are exposed to the full glare of the noonday 
sun, no light sprinkling will answer; the water must be 
poured on until it runs out at the bottom of the box. If, 
however, they are partly' shaded, or if the weather is 
cloudy or wet, judgment, of course, must be used in the 
matter of watering. The rule with all plants in pots or 
boxes is never to water until the soil is dry, and then 
water thoroughly. This dryness can be determined by 
the soil getting lighter in color, or by examination by 
stirring it up with the fingers. 
Hanging-baskets may be formed of similar materials 
to window-boxes, although the usual kind are such as 
are formed of rustic work and wire—these last are 
rather the best suited for the health of the plants, for, 
as in window-boxes so made, they allow full opportunity 
for the free passage of water from the soil, and for the 
admission of air to the roots. As hanging-baskets are 
exposed on all sides to the air, they will require more 
attention in watering than window-boxes. The sim¬ 
plest and most effective way, after the plants have been 
well established, is when dry, to immerse the whole 
basket in a tub of water. This is particularly essential 
if the basket is made of wire or any such material. 
Rustic baskets, of course, do not drain off so freely, and 
immersing them in water is not so essential, so that the 
rule for watering window-boxes may be adapted to 
them. The plants suitable for hanging-baskets may be 
similar to that used for window-boxes, except that it 
conduces much to the appearance of the baskets to have 
some graceful plant to be placed in the centre of each for 
that purpose. Nothing is better than some of the Palms 
or Dracenas. Of Palms, Latania borbonica, or Corypha 
australis, are excellent, and of Dracenas, D. terminalis, 
with its crimson leaves, or D. indivisa with its drooping 
green, fountain-like foliage, are all good types, though 
there are scores of others; if the basket has handles, 
some climbing plant, such as Ivy, or Climbing Fern, etc. 
