Bloom in the greenhouse this month is comparable to the spring show. Three classes of plants put on a spectacular performance: These latter include many annuals: Annual Seeds Some seed annuals do particularly well under glasscalendula, annual chrysanthemum, salpiglossis, stock, blue lace-flower, carnation, and giant pansy. These plants suffer from our hot, dry summer weather … Read more
If variety is not always the spice of life, it certainly is in the case of the window garden. Most of us have our favorites, without which we could not be entirely happy. We all want something new to keep us on our toes. Among recent offers, I have selected a few of special interest … Read more
Just as Memorial Day is the signal for the relegation of house plants to the porch, the shrub border, or some special corner in the garden, so is Labor Day, the time for preparing the plants for their return to the house. Preparation means repotting with new soil in good clean pots, cleaning the saucers … Read more
The airy and graceful presence of diminutive green trees will lend freshness to any decor. Combine this pleasant atmosphere with the novelty of fruit and flowers, and you have a conversation piece and a continued point of interest in the home. Dwarf Lemon Trees Dwarf lemon trees (Citrus I. ponderosa), with their almost uninterrupted procession … Read more
The hardy perennial question is what to do with houseplants while the owners are away. However, I discovered that it is actually possible to have the plants watered by the absentee, capillary method—possible and effective! Capillary Method Here’s what you need to do. Place the plants on the kitchen counter, table, or floor; even the … Read more
Your front yard should not be over-stuffed with planting; neither should you starve it of trees and shrubs. There is a happy medium. It results from good landscape design where every tree or shrub contributes in some way to making your house more attractive, either by emphasizing its good architectural features or by softening the … Read more
Most gardeners depend on their plants not only to produce a happy outdoor picture but also to supply a constant assortment of flowers for cutting. This goal is reasonably easy to achieve during the spring and summer. Still, fall brings that fateful day when the depredations of Jack Frost make a sorry spectacle of a … Read more
Most of our house plants come from tropical regions in various parts of the world. They cannot be grown outdoors year-round where low winter temperatures would put them into permanent sleep. Nevertheless, many interesting and beautiful plants have adjusted themselves to normal home temperatures and atmospheres that are also comfortable for human beings. To be … Read more
Where are your house plants spending the summer? Are they still in the house waiting for a breath of fresh air? Or have you set them under a tree—out of sight or mind? Why not make the most of their decorative possibilities by using them on your terrace, porch, or doorstep? Give some thought, too, … Read more
Many houseplants benefit from a summer spent outdoors. Move them into the open air when the weather is warm in spring or early summer, and bring them indoors well ahead of frost in autumn. They need the same care as other plants in the garden. Provide routine pruning, regular spraying to prevent insect damage, watering … Read more