CONTENTS
CHAPTER I TOWN-GARDENING PAGE London in summer-time—Bought flowers versus growing plants—Plants that do well in towns—Gardens of the suburbs—Some of their joys [1] CHAPTER II THE EARLY WINDOW-BOX Spring gardening in the window-box—Bulbs: gold, white, and blue—Moss carpets, dainty beds—Flowers that grow well together—Some combinations—Encouragements [8] CHAPTER III “THE SEASON” WINDOW-BOX Not to start summer flowers too soon—Not to buy plants that have been forced—Not to be like everybody else—Asparagus Sprengeri—A kitchen window-box—Herbs—The watched pot—Prize window-boxes at Exeter—The nursery window-box—Seed Song [14] CHAPTER IV BALCONY-GARDENING Pot-plants—Climbers—Tubs—London in June—The pleasant balcony—Practical hints [20] CHAPTER V ROOF AND BACK-YARD GARDENS IN THE CITY St Andrew’s Rectory garden, Doctor’s Commons—“Struggles in Smoke”—Roof-jungle at the Home for Working Boys, at Bishopsgate Street, E.C.—Amateur gardening among the slates and chimney-pots—City gardens—Tempting the sea-gull, land-bird, and butterfly [26] CHAPTER VI PLANTS FOR THE CITY POOR Window-box Society, St. Cuthbert’s Lodge, Millwall—Mr. Cadbury and his operatives—Town board schools—Gardening at Crook’s Place Board School, Norwich—Country board schools in England and in Germany—Helping the poor—Miss Jekyll and the factory lad [31] CHAPTER VII THE BEGINNER Choosing the window-box—Making it—Placing it—Filling it—The hanging basket—Cleansing—Watering—The Fern window-box—Virginia Stock [36] CHAPTER VIII FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR TOWNS The window-box and the man in the street—The advantages and merits of the foliage-plants—Which to order [44] CHAPTER IX FOG, FLOWERS, AND FOLIAGE Air—Fog—What urban fog is made of—Darkness—Poison—An analysis from Kew—Can we counteract effects of fog?—Mr. Toope at Stepney—Fog-filters—What plants suffer least?—Professor Oliver’s report on ferns in fogs—Bulbous plants—Precautions—Coal-smoke Abatement Society—Resolutions [48] CHAPTER X THE LADY DECORATOR AND THE FLOWER-GIRL Arranging flowers—Balls, dinner-parties, weddings—Fashions in flowers—Dyed flowers—Flowers as symbols—Primrose Day—Floral trophies—The early and mid-Victorian bouquet—Street-selling flower-girls—Buttonhole-making—A skeleton parasol in France [55] CHAPTER XI THE SMALL SUBURBAN GARDEN A good word for it—The motor-car—Corner houses—Making the most of a small garden—Turf—Trees—Back and front gardens—Individuality—Good taste [62] CHAPTER XII “NEXT DOOR”—A PARENTHETICAL CHAPTER Garden etiquette in Suburbia—Codes and customs—Barriers—Brides—Music—Children—Bonfires—The family wash [71] CHAPTER XIII GRASS, GROUND, OR GRAVEL The new suburban garden—The restful garden—Country Life on English and Continental suburban gardens—The lawn and flower-beds—Grass walks [75] CHAPTER XIV FERNS AND WILD FLOWERS The hardy fernery—How we made our own—Wild flowers for the fernery—The fernery all the year round—Amusing May—The Pale Osmunda—The neglected fernery of London and the suburbs—Roadside Ferns and hedge-haunters [80] CHAPTER XV CREEPERS AND CLIMBERS The Vine and Fig-tree—Ampelopsis Veitchii—Trellis-work—Wire netting—Supports—Roses, Jasmine and Magnolia—The Passion-flower—Hops and Honeysuckle—Morning Glories—“Ivy Lane” [88] CHAPTER XVI EASY ROCK AND WALL GARDENING How to get “rock” and place it—Alpine and English rock-plants—Mr. Barr’s nursery ground—Encrusted Saxifrages—The double wall—Thrift, Wallflower, and Red Valerian—One pleasing Thought [95] INDEX [103]
| CHAPTER I | |
| TOWN-GARDENING | |
| PAGE | |
| London in summer-time—Bought flowers versus growingplants—Plants that do well in towns—Gardens of thesuburbs—Some of their joys | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| THE EARLY WINDOW-BOX | |
| Spring gardening in the window-box—Bulbs: gold, white,and blue—Moss carpets, dainty beds—Flowers that growwell together—Some combinations—Encouragements | [8] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| “THE SEASON” WINDOW-BOX | |
| Not to start summer flowers too soon—Not to buy plantsthat have been forced—Not to be like everybody else—AsparagusSprengeri—A kitchen window-box—Herbs—Thewatched pot—Prize window-boxes at Exeter—Thenursery window-box—Seed Song | [14] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| BALCONY-GARDENING | |
| Pot-plants—Climbers—Tubs—London in June—The pleasantbalcony—Practical hints | [20] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| ROOF AND BACK-YARD GARDENS IN THE CITY | |
| St Andrew’s Rectory garden, Doctor’s Commons—“Strugglesin Smoke”—Roof-jungle at the Home for Working Boys,at Bishopsgate Street, E.C.—Amateur gardening amongthe slates and chimney-pots—City gardens—Temptingthe sea-gull, land-bird, and butterfly | [26] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| PLANTS FOR THE CITY POOR | |
| Window-box Society, St. Cuthbert’s Lodge, Millwall—Mr.Cadbury and his operatives—Town board schools—Gardeningat Crook’s Place Board School, Norwich—Countryboard schools in England and in Germany—Helping thepoor—Miss Jekyll and the factory lad | [31] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| THE BEGINNER | |
| Choosing the window-box—Making it—Placing it—Fillingit—The hanging basket—Cleansing—Watering—TheFern window-box—Virginia Stock | [36] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR TOWNS | |
| The window-box and the man in the street—The advantagesand merits of the foliage-plants—Which to order | [44] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| FOG, FLOWERS, AND FOLIAGE | |
| Air—Fog—What urban fog is made of—Darkness—Poison—Ananalysis from Kew—Can we counteract effects of fog?—Mr.Toope at Stepney—Fog-filters—What plants sufferleast?—Professor Oliver’s report on ferns in fogs—Bulbousplants—Precautions—Coal-smoke Abatement Society—Resolutions | [48] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| THE LADY DECORATOR AND THE FLOWER-GIRL | |
| Arranging flowers—Balls, dinner-parties, weddings—Fashionsin flowers—Dyed flowers—Flowers as symbols—PrimroseDay—Floral trophies—The early and mid-Victorianbouquet—Street-selling flower-girls—Buttonhole-making—Askeleton parasol in France | [55] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| THE SMALL SUBURBAN GARDEN | |
| A good word for it—The motor-car—Corner houses—Makingthe most of a small garden—Turf—Trees—Back andfront gardens—Individuality—Good taste | [62] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| “NEXT DOOR”—A PARENTHETICAL CHAPTER | |
| Garden etiquette in Suburbia—Codes and customs—Barriers—Brides—Music—Children—Bonfires—Thefamily wash | [71] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| GRASS, GROUND, OR GRAVEL | |
| The new suburban garden—The restful garden—Country Lifeon English and Continental suburban gardens—The lawnand flower-beds—Grass walks | [75] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| FERNS AND WILD FLOWERS | |
| The hardy fernery—How we made our own—Wild flowers forthe fernery—The fernery all the year round—AmusingMay—The Pale Osmunda—The neglected fernery ofLondon and the suburbs—Roadside Ferns and hedge-haunters | [80] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| CREEPERS AND CLIMBERS | |
| The Vine and Fig-tree—Ampelopsis Veitchii—Trellis-work—Wirenetting—Supports—Roses, Jasmine and Magnolia—ThePassion-flower—Hops and Honeysuckle—MorningGlories—“Ivy Lane” | [88] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| EASY ROCK AND WALL GARDENING | |
| How to get “rock” and place it—Alpine and English rock-plants—Mr.Barr’s nursery ground—Encrusted Saxifrages—Thedouble wall—Thrift, Wallflower, and Red Valerian—Onepleasing Thought | [95] |
| INDEX | [103] |