Suggestions for Planting of Window Boxes
1. Have the boxes made with small holes, or outlets, so that there may be good drainage; for although plants love to drink water, they do not enjoy having “soaking wet feet” all the time.
2. In the bottom of the box place some pebbles or broken stone; this, also, to make the drainage good.
3. Fill box with sifted sand and humus (or manure) very much as for seed boxes. See [Chapter XIV].
Following is a list of—
Nine Excellent Free-Blooming Plants for Window Boxes
(Most are annuals, easily started from seeds)
| Petunias. | Many beautiful colors. Sow the seeds indoors; the plants may be placed out as soon as danger of frost is passed. If seeds are saved, they should be taken from the weakest plants, as they will give better results than from stronger plants. Bloom until killed by frost. Buy double large flowering. |
| Zinnias (”Youth-and-Old-Age“). | All colors except blue and purple. Buy “Dwarf Double” varieties. Bloom late into the Fall. |
| Phlox Drummondi (Annual Phlox). | Very many beautiful mixed colors. Easily grown. |
| Sweet Alyssum. | Buy the tall variety, of trailing habit: “Alyssum Maritimum.” Plant near edges of box. |
| Cuphea (Cigar Plant). | Interesting little plant, growing one foot high. Little scarlet flowers, shape of hollow cigars, with black and white tip, resembling ashes. |
| Ageratum (Floss Flower). | Buy Dwarf Variety. See [List of Annuals] for description. |
| Verbenas. | Sweet-scented Verbenas. Colors: Rose, pink, white, purple, lavender, etc. |
| Vinca Major Varigata (“Variegated Periwinkle”). | Excellent for trailing over the edges of window boxes. Leaves glossy green with light green edges. Flowers, blue. |
| Geraniums. | Too well known to need description. Easily grown from “cuttings.” See [Chapter XXXV]. Do not expect geraniums to bloom the year round. Give them rest in Winter or Summer by pinching off the buds. |
One of the prettiest shallow window boxes is planted with Violas in mixed colors, with “Tom Thumb” Alyssum for edging.
“Oh, Billy, will you build me a window box soon for my play house?” asked Mary Frances with enthusiasm.
“Will I? Indeed, Mary Frances, what do you think! I don’t believe you’ll find another fellow——”
“Oh, Billy, I didn’t think! I didn’t! You’re so good to give me these lessons! I’ll wait until later for the window box.”
“You’d better,” said Billy; “you interrupted my notes. There is just one more flower mentioned in these lists. It is—
| Lemon Verbena (not hardy). | An old-fashioned favorite, because of the sweet-scented foliage. It is better grown in the garden than in window boxes. The flowers are insignificant, but the lemon-scented leaves are a delight. |
“Some ‘Lemon verbena’ I shall have!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “I remember it well in Grandma’s garden, don’t you?”
“I remember it, but I remember another sweet-scented leaf better:
| Ber-ga-mot. | Hardy, easily grown. Flowers: Brilliant red; pretty, but not beautiful. Leaves very fragrant. Humming birds often gather nectar from the flowers. |
“Oh, Billy, I remember that, too. Wasn’t it lovely! I know Grandma will give me some roots. Now, let’s begin the next lesson. I am so anxious to get to the place where I really begin to do something!”
“Well, you could do something right away,” said Billy. “You could start in this box which I filled with earth yesterday, and hung outside your play house window——”
“Oh, Billy!” breathed Mary Frances, “I didn’t see it! My, how pleased I am!”
“Humm!” Billy acknowledged her gratitude and continued: “You could start—
An Herb-Garden Window Box
A Soup-and-Sauce Garden
| Parsley. | See [List of Vegetables] for Little Folks’ Garden. |
| Sage. | A savory herb. Buy the plant. It grows about 15 inches tall. |
| Mint. | Used for “mint sauce.” Easily grown. Buy the plant. |
| Chives. | Somewhat like small delicate green onion tops. Bear a pretty blue flower. Buy clump of roots. |
| Thyme. | Edge the box with thyme. See [List of Vegetables] for Little Folks’ Garden. |
“I’ll start it immediately,” declared Mary Frances, who was very fond of cooking, “I’ll get my purse and go to the florist’s right now to buy the plants.”
“Good-bye, then!” called Billy, “I’ve done my part. My next help is in eating the soup—or sauce!”
[CHAPTER XIII]
Billy Tests the Soil
“DO you suppose, Professor—I mean Billy—do you imagine we can keep the garden a secret?”
The early Spring day was so lovely that the children were sitting in the summer house.
“I guess the folks will suspect something,” answered Billy, “when they see us digging and spading, but they won’t for a moment think of all we’re planning to do.”
“They can’t help seeing things grow,” Billy went on, “but how little they’ll expect you to come in some day with radishes and lettuce from your own garden.”
“You’re just like Feather Flop!” exclaimed Mary Frances.
“Well, I like that!”
“I mean,” Mary Frances caught her breath, “I mean you think only of the vegetables, and forget that I will bring in a beautiful bouquet of flowers for the table.”
“Oh, to be sure,” nodded Billy, “but you won’t have either unless we begin the next lesson. The first thing after making out the list, so our professor told us, is to understand about the soil. He said that after knowing what to plant, we must learn how to plant. So let us go have a look at the soil near the play house.”
In front of the play house, Billy caught up a handful of earth.
“Listen, Mary Frances,” he said, earnestly, “let us examine this closely. To test the soil is the most important point in gardening, as you will readily see after you have heard—