It is hardly fair to end without a word or two about the open-air Fern-box. For beginners, and in fact for everybody, nothing requires so little trouble to cultivate as Ferns. Let us suppose a young lady’s room in a north-east aspect, or north-west with only afternoon sunshine. Here is the very place for a Fern window-box. All Ferns and nothing else. Nothing but the common Harts-tongue looks lovely; so do Male Ferns and Lady Ferns growing together. Ferns want more drainage and more water than flowers, and that is all they do want. When in the autumn they die down, the old fronds must not be cut off. Let them be, and give a very little water now and again to prevent an utter dryness. In the spring they will come up again as good as ever, and would be glad of a sprinkling of fresh leaf-mould over the top just as an encouragement for the fresh growth.
When the new fronds appear we shall find them folded at the base very tight and cosy. Then, and then only, must last year’s dead leaves be removed. They have protected and even nourished.
It is better not to arrange the Fern-box for a very conspicuous room; people get impatient during the resting-time of the plants, and want to turn them out, which is too bad. Nothing and nobody can be always at its best, not even human beings. The only remedy is a second box, and to put the Fern-box away to go through its dormant stage unseen. The danger of this is that it may be forgotten, like canaries are sometimes; but the Fern-box is worth trying for. In summer it is a treat, and its fresh green never looks prettier than in a case of pale blue tiles; I like this better for Ferns than the more conventional box of rustic-work.
PART OF ROCK-GARDEN, CROOK’S HILL BOARD-SCHOOL, NORWICH
Seeds are fascinating, but I cannot cordially recommend them for window-box use; there are too many chances of failure. But if there are any who wish to make the experiment Nasturtiums are the hardiest, and Californian Nemophila is pretty and easy to grow; but my favourite of all, and the most unfailingly good-tempered, is Virginia Stock, which does equally well in all aspects. Give it good ground and sufficient water, and its pretty, simple, many-coloured flowers will not fail to please. They always remind me of the sugar hundreds-and-thousands of our youth, one colour blending with another.
A modern poetess has written about these flowers very prettily, and the good character she gives them is the outcome of no poetical license; it is simple truth.
“The Lily’s ignorant white is glad of cheer,
But these are high of courage; glad are these,
Against all changes of the changing year,