In addition to the stand, or box, a bracket for one or more pots on either side of the window, about one-third or half way up, will be desirable. The bracket should turn on a basal hinge or pivot, to admit of swinging it forward or backward. These bracket plants usually suffer for moisture, and are rather difficult to manage.
Florists now usually grow plants suitable for Window-Gardens and winter flowering, and any intelligent florist, if asked, will take pleasure in making out a suitable collection. The plants should be ordered early in the fall; the florist will then not be so crowded for time and can give the matter better attention.
Most of the plants suitable for the winter Window-Garden belong to the groups which florists grow in their medium and cool houses. The former are given a night temperature of about 60°, the latter about 50°. In each case the temperature is 10 to 15° higher for the daytime. Five degrees of variation below these temperatures will be allowable without any injurious effects; even more may be borne, but not without more or less check to the plants. In bright, sunny weather the day temperature may be higher than in cloudy and dark weather.
PLANTS FOR AN AVERAGE NIGHT TEMPERATURE OF 60°
Upright flowering plants.—Abutilons, browallias, calceolaria “Lincoln Park,” begonias, bouvardias, euphorbias, scarlet sage, richardia or calla, heliotropes, fuchsias, Chinese hibiscus, jasmines, single petunias, swainsona, billbergia, freesias, geraniums, cupheas.
Upright foliage plants.—Muehlenbeckia, Cycas revoluta, Dracæna fragrans and others, palms, cannas, Farfugium grande, achyranthes, ferns, araucaria, epiphyllums, pandanus or “screw pine,” Pilea arborea, Ficus elastica, Grevillea robusta.
Climbing plants.—Asparagus tenuissimus, A. plumosus, Cobæa scandens, smilax, Japanese hop, Madeira vine (Boussingaultia), Senecio mikanioides and S. macroglossus (parlor ivies). See also list below.
Low-growing, trailing, or drooping plants.—These may be used for baskets and edgings. Flowering kinds are: Sweet alyssum, lobelia, Fuchsia procumbens, mesembryanthemum, Oxalis pendula, O. floribunda and others, Russelia juncea, Mahernia odorata or honey-bell.
Foliage plants of drooping habit.—Vincas, Saxifraga sarmentosa, Kenilworth ivy, tradescantia or Wandering Jew, *Festuca glauca, othonna, *Isolepsis gracilis, English ivy, Selaginella denticulata and others. Some of these plants flower quite freely, but the flowers are small and of secondary consideration. Those with an asterisk (*) droop but slightly.