Vase in Cemetery.
I have a large reservoir vase twenty-five inches in diameter for the cemetery. Last summer I had it arranged by one of our home florists and it did not do nicely at all and was not in the least satisfactory. Will you please advise me what plants to use in it this summer? I thought I would put around the edge to droop, ivy geraniums, double petunias and nasturtiums and anything else you may suggest. I have a pink ivy geranium and would like a white one, and thought I would like the petunias of some different colors, perhaps one variegated and some other. The nasturtiums I shall raise from seed, and I suppose I might use a little sweet alyssum and lobelia. What would you recommend for the center plants? Of course I know it is too early to start it yet, but I want it all settled so that I can get it ready as early as possible.
K. A. R.
Waverly, N. Y.
A vase of plants is not adapted to a cemetery unless there is a gardener in charge of the grounds and who will give the necessary daily care. A garden vase of growing plants needs daily attention in watering and through the hottest weather should be supplied twice a day. It is rare that a cemetery has a gardener in attendance. We, therefore, would discourage the use of vases in cemeteries for they are anything but ornamental unless they have constant care. It is far better to set directly in the ground whatever flowering or ornamental plants one chooses to have. There they will thrive with less attention than elsewhere. Of course if they can have the needed care the vases can be filled with such plants as are usually employed for this purpose, and, no doubt, the vase which our inquirer complains of was well filled. It was unsatisfactory, and probably would be so again another season. The best place for the vase is on the lawn near the dwelling. But if it is to be used in the cemetery then we should try to make the best of it, and select such plants as will do fairly well with the occasional attendance they will get, together with the rain which falls upon them from the clouds.
Such a selection of plants is difficult to make. For a center plant perhaps a small sized American aloe would be as appropriate and appear as well as any that might be tried. Possibly a small India rubber plant might be another good one. For filling in the list is a restricted one. The portulaca would be reliable; the ageratum and the petunia would do fairly well, and the Thunbergia and oxalis might be expected to hold their own. The othonna would no doubt do well set around the edge. Perhaps the green and the variegated vinca would suffer meekly, if it was demanded of them, and try to show how brave they are. We fear the nasturtium and geraniums and alyssum and lobelia would scarcely hold their own. In some seasons which we have known in this region, when showers have been frequent all through the summer, a vase of such plants as are ordinarily used would do well, but such seasons are rare. Usually the plants will suffer for lack of water.
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