Plants For Hanging Baskets

It is surprising to what an extent basket plants are used for decorative purposes in the poorer quarters of London and other large towns. As window plants or for ornamenting the usually small and confined yard or patch of garden quite a number of trailing plants are admissible and are largely employed for this purpose. Even in the most smoky and dusty parts of the metropolis the high state of perfection to which the cultivation of these plants has in many instances been brought would hardly be credited unless by those who are directly interested in the matter or who see them as exhibited at some of our local, urban, and suburban shows. Two species of Campanula (C. Mayii and C. isophylla alba), the well known Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia Nummularia), the variegated Nepeta Gle-choma, Asparagus Sprengeri, and the readily cultivated Saxifraga sarmentosa and its beautiful three-coloured variety (tricolor superba) are all in common use for planting in hanging baskets and pots.

The pale lavender blue flowers of Campanula Mayii and the abundantly-produced pure white flowers of C. isophylla alba are charming when seen suspended from a pot or basket; while the favourite Mother of Thousands (Saxifraga sarmentosa), with its bunches of hairy leaves, which are distinctly veined with white and spikes of white flowers, render it both distinct and desirable for the suspended pot or basket. As to the merits of Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia), it has probably no equal whether for ease of culture or the rich abundance in which the creamy-yellow flowers are produced. It is not uncommon to see pans as much as 18 in. in diameter thickly covered with this accommodating plant, and producing its golden flowers with the greatest freedom. For the porch, window, or summer house, and whether in pot or basket, the elegant Asparagus Sprengeri, with its long trails of shining green foliage, is peculiarly suitable, and, as taking the place of fern leaves in a cut state, has few equals. The pretty and neat little Geranium-like creeping plant Nepeta Glechoma variegata, with its graceful aromatic trails of foliage, is a charming companion to any of the above.

Several varieties of the Ivy-leaved Geranium are suitable for hanging baskets, and of Fuchsias the justly popular F. Golden Treasure and F. procumbens are most useful.

The smaller growing cut-leaved Ivies such as Emerald Gem, laciniata, and conglomerata, are all adapted for basket and pot culture, the long drooping shoots and neat evergreen foliage making them bright subjects at any time of the year. The cultivation of these plants in baskets or pots is simple, but a point that must never be neglected is to ensure that the soil is kept in a uniformly damp condition, neglect of which will soon cause the healthiest and strongest specimens to become sparse of foliage and meagre in appearance.

Room Plants For Dark Corners

It is surprising how well certain plants succeed and how green they appear when grown in quite dark corners of the dwelling house. We have notable examples of this in Aspidistralurida, the India-rubber Plant (Ficus), some of the Kentias and Phoenix and one or two kinds of Ferns, notably Asplenium bulbiferum and Polystichum angulare proliferum. Given good treatment in the matter of soil and watering and not exposed to undue draughts, it is truly surprising the dark green appearance that these plants will wear, certainly out of all proportion to that which they assume when grown in full light and under what would be considered the more congenial surroundings of a greenhouse. Kentia bel-moreana and Phoenix Roebelinil are two excellent Palms for darkened rooms.

Care Of Room Plants

The problem of how to keep room and window plants, particularly such as are grown under the adverse conditions connected with town cultivation, in a healthy condition is a most perplexing one. Under congenial environments, such as with plenty of light, air, and atmospheric moisture, little difficulty will be presented; but in the dwelling house these conditions are entirely changed, and the dry heated atmosphere, often surcharged with gas and darkened conditions, all tell hardly on the health of the plants.

However, by choosing the most suitable subjects, attending carefully to the question of soil and potting, as also watering and keeping the foliage free from dust and dirt, much may be done to maintain room and window plants in a healthy and presentable condition. An occasional washing with tepid water and a sponge will go a long way in maintaining the leaves in a bright and healthy condition, while uniformity of dampness in the soil must ever be retained. When water is required it is a good plan to place the pot in a pail of rain-water for not less than, say, ten minutes, by which means the ball of soil gets evenly and thoroughly moistened. In times of extreme cold an essential condition will be that the plants be comparatively dry at the root - indeed, from about November to March this is a point that should receive careful attention. Of course, when growing in a dry heated room more water will be required, but when a fire is only occasionally lit and there is no gas, such plants as the Aspidistra, Kentia, and Ferns would not require water oftener than every ten days.