Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/313

 291 charming ornamental square or oblong red terra-cotta flower-boxes or pans on the top of the wall. There are tall oil jars, acting sentry on either side of the main path, and smaller round vases mark out the corners of the garden — one or two in the centre of the circles, as at H, give pleasing variety. Then, again, little flowerpots look well surrounding a flower-bed, or should the owner be ambitious and wish to achieve a water- lily tank, he can place them as at M on a two-foot-high brick wall. Advantasres of Coloured Pottery ^ I have great belief in the bright colour of the pots. They look well in all positions, either in the centre of flower-beds, with flowers growing at their feet, or standing on grey stone paths, or seen against dark-green THE GARDEN foliage or grass. In any case, it is necessary to stand the pot upon level ground, where drainage is secured. In Italy, where these are used greatly for ornamental purposes, they usually stand upon tiles or upon a piece of stone. Often a groove is carved crossways on the stone, to allow of water from the pot running away freely. There need be no fear of leaving these pots out in the winter. It has often been tried, and so long as they are filled with soil and the drainage is sufficient, they will not suffer. The plants should be chosen according to the requirements of the place. Dark evergreen shrubs look well, such as clipped box or laurustinus. If more colour be wanted, fuchsias, Cupid sweet-peas, forget- me-not, wallflowers, climbing canary creeper all look well. OM GROWIHG BULBS IM BOXES AND TUBS By HELEN COLT, F.R.H.S. The Tub Garden— Where to Procure Tubs— Preparing the Soil— Kinds to Grow— Uncommon Attempts — The Art of Cultivation /Greater London is each year becoming more and more a domain of divided houses and flats, with the necessary corollary that a balcony, leads, or even the immediate surrounding of the front door, is all that individual owners can claim for their garden. The Tub Garden Every woman likes to have flowers of her own in spring, and, to supply this need, beautiful bulbous plants seem to have been specially designed. It only remains to provide suitable conditions to foster the luxuriance of the crocus, daffodil, tulip, and other such delights. Space need not be devoted here to de- scribing the many excellent designs in flower- tubs which can now be bought, nor to diff tyrant patterns of window-boxes, nor the really beautiful vases in pottery or stone which can be had for the purpose. But for those who wish to take advantage of the more economical, and by no means uninteresting, method of arranging for their own tub-gardens " from the beginning," the following hints will be of use in the month of November. Where to Procure Tubs Large tubs and barrels can be bought from grocers and wine-merchants, and sawn in half ; but, for the grower with a balcony or porch ^- q only, the lard-tub is a most suitable thing, while for window-boxes such Iq q cheap contrivances as the painted soap - case or chemists' packing-boxes will prove excellent. A most serviceable Ceylon Figure I, showing method tea-case, which, when °f draining the round tub painted, makes a square flower-box about two feet deep, may be had for the small sum of 4d. When dealing with lard-tubs, Figure 2, showing method of draining oblong box which can be bought from buttermen at a cost of not more than 6d. each, the grease can be removed by lightly scorching the wood with a lighted wisp of tough paper, used with caution and in the open air. Holes for drainage, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, should then be bored at the bottom of the tub (see Figure i). An oblong box would be bored as in Figure 2. A red-hot poker canbe used for the purpose. The inside of the receptacles should next be brushed over with tar, as far as three inches from the top, and the tubs or boxes painted green, with hoops " picked out " in black paint, or they may be stained brown. Three coats of good ready-mixed paint will with- stand the weather admirably, if the paint is laid on thin and smooth, the untarred portion inside the top being painted in the same way. Oak varnish stain will produce a nice effect. Size the wood first, dissolving half a pound of size in half a pint of water, by letting it simmer on the fire. On no account must it come to the boil. Size shows up the surface of varnish, and also destroj"^ the deleterious effect of grease in the tubs, so that, if used before painting or staining, the burning process will hardly be needed. Before sizing and painting or varnishing the wood, a good surface must be prepared by rubbing down with coarse and fine sandpaper. Little stands can be made, or the tubs raised upon feet. Such supports are easy work for the home carpenter. Window-boxes ought always to be raise by stops of wood at least three-quarters of an inch above the level of the sill. For those who like it, virgin cork, secured with strands of wire, may be used to cover the outside of anv boxes or tubs.