HOME ey IN Ceme ee) 8 Where? Why? 
Window Boxes 
There's nothing finer than window and 
porch boxes to make a house look “‘lived 
in” and gay. 
The necessary boxes may be bought ready- 
made, or constructed at home, Redwood 
or cypress are the best lasting materials, 
but ordinary yellow pine will do nicely 
if well painted. Paint at least two coats, 
and use brass screws instead of nails to 
join the boards. 
Drainage of flower boxes is important. Use 
about two inches of coarse gravel at the 
bottom. Cover this with a layer of sand, 
and then with good, rich soil. Fertilizing 
may be done with liquid manure, but 
commercial plant tablets are even better, 
and much easier to apply. 
Plants suitable for window boxes are quite 
numerous, Among the best are Petunias, 
Nasturtium, Ageratum, Candytuft, dwarf 
Marigold, Corn-flower, Babysbreath, Love- 
in-a-mist, Verbena, Sweet Alyssum, Vinca. 
English Ivy adds a nice touch, as do 
various ferns. 
Good Points to Remember 
Pinch ‘em off! To make annual flower 
plants branch and grow more flowers, 
most of the plants should have the top 
of the stem pinched off when they are a 
few inches high. Remove only the end 
bud, about 14”. 
Divide your perennials. Most perennials 
must be divided every 3 or 4 years. Cut 
away all the dead roots and stalks, save 
the best portions, and start afresh, 
SWEET PEA 
Spencer, Rose Pink 
Flower bed preparation. A good border 
needs a well prepared sub-soil. Dig deep 
and condition the subsoil just once, and 
you needn't bother about it again for many 
years. For this happy situation, break up 
heavy subsoil with sand, peat moss, hu- 
mus, or lime. Top this off with fine loam. 
The double-dug bed will be higher than 
before, but will soon settle. 
Formula for Pansy Growing 
Pansies are not annuals but near-hardy 
perennials that need special culture. Cold 
frames, with glass sash and mats for win- 
ter protection are essential. Soil should be 
rich: up to one-third of soil can be well- 
rotted manure or sifted compost. Sow seed 
in August. Protect frame with shades made 
by tacking muslin or cheese cloth over 
window screens. Thin plants to stand 4” 
x 4” After first frosts, cover with glass 
and mats, and allow to freeze slowly. Re- 
move mats in early spring and allow sun 
to warm frame. Move plants into perma- 
nent position when in full bloom. Keep 
faded flowers picked; they will stop 
blooming if any seeds are allowed to 
form, Growing good Pansies from seed is 
the test of a real gardener. 
Two Interesting House Plants 
The Heavenly Blue Morning Glory makes 
an excellent house plant for winter flow- 
ering if grown in a sunny window. Start 
new plants in late August, using 6” pots 
(they make heavy root growth). They can 
be trained up strings on either side of the 
window. Lobelia plants can be lifted just 
before frost, cut back, potted and will 
flower indoors in late winter. 
RUSSELL LUPINES 
NASTURTIUMS 
Gleam Hybrids 
PANSY 
Swiss Giant § 
Rose of Heaven 
5 ‘‘Where to Plant’ Ideas 
Flowers in the vegetable garden. To have 
plenty of cut flowers without disturbing 
your flower borders, plant a few rows of 
flowers along the edge of your vegetable 
garden, Or set them out between rows of 
early lettuce or radishes, where they can 
bloom after the vegetables have been 
used. 
Annuals in the tulip bed. Just after the 
late tulips finish blooming, set out some 
annuals between the tulip plants. If you 
do this, you may safely leave the tulip 
bulbs in the ground for several years, or 
at least until they need separating, 
Flowers for trellis or fence. Vines for 
quick cover here are quite numerous. For 
brilliant color effects, plant Cardinal Climb- 
er, Scarlet Runner Bean, Cypress Vine, or 
Japanese Morning Glory. Less colorful are 
the Cup-and-Saucer Vine, Hyacinth Bean, 
Balloon Vine, and Heavenly Blue Morning 
Glory. For heavy foliage effects, gourds 
are good, 
For garage cover, Sometimes it is highly 
desirable to screen off the bare walls of 
the back-yard and garage. For quick re- 
sults, the taller annuals, such as cosmos, 
hollyhocks and sunflowers are desirable. 
Any of the vines named in the last para- 
graph above are suitable, too. 
Between drive and property line. This 
narrow strip is often a very nice place for 
a long flower border. A low effect may 
be had by plantings of balcony petunia, 
portulaca, and sweet alyssum. Or a hedge- 
like effect is easy to get with Kochia, Four 
O’clocks, Zinnias, or Marigolds. 
PETUNIA 
