Chapter LIX: The City Garden

CHILDREN who live in the city usually have so little ground that they are not often encouraged to attempt gardening.

Even in the tiny 9 x 12 foot city yard, provided it has sunshine during some part of the day, a surprising variety of plants may be grown.

In the new style of building, happily the old-fashioned boarded-up fence is disappearing, being replaced by iron fencing, which gives an open appearance and admits air to the rear of the dwelling; but if one lives where the garden is “walled in,” a great deal of pleasure may be gained from—

HANGING GARDENS

Along the sunniest wall of the garden, hang boxes on
iron brackets as shown in the picture on this page.

The lower garden should be placed high enough to let
the sunlight into the small hotbed which is placed on
the ground.

In the upper garden, annual flowers and vines may be
grown.

In the lower garden, plan to have—

A SOUP AND SAUCE GARDEN

containing mint, parsley, chives, onions, little red
peppers.

In the ground near the hotbed, you may grow tomatoes,
carrots, and—

_Okra_ or _Gumbo_

Plant seeds in May. You will probably need only two
plants, one foot apart. Use the pods while young.
“White Velvet” is a good variety. The plants grow three
feet tall. In chicken or tomato soup the beautiful
green odd-shaped slices give a richness of flavor.

In using fresh thyme in soup, add it a few moments
before serving instead of cooking it from the first,
and notice the improvement of flavor.

In the hotbed garden you may have radishes and lettuce
at the time they come with, their tempting freshness
and their high prices in the Spring markets.

* * * * *

In the city, many flowering plants are grown in sunny
windows. The following named will be found among the
best for the—

INDOOR GARDEN

Hyacinths
Chinese Lilies
Tulips
Tuberous-rooted Begonias
Ferns
Bermuda Buttercup Oxalis
English Ivy
Impatiens Sultana
Spirea
Geraniums

_Bermuda Buttercup Oxalis_ blooms all winter in
clusters of golden yellow flowers. The foliage is
beautiful, resembling that of clover.

_Grand Duchess Oxalis_, in pink, is another charming
house plant. It comes in white and lavender also.

The other types of Oxalis are pretty in hanging baskets.

The bulbs of Oxalis cost from three to five cents each.
Plant six in a pot, and be certain to give them good
soil, partly leaf loam. Keep them in a dark, cool place
for a short time. Water them as they dry out. Bring to
the light gradually. They will sometimes bloom in six
weeks. Oxalis, already started, may be had of a florist.

Another pretty house plant is a vine grown from a sweet
potato placed in a hyacinth glass or bottle of water.

* * * * *

For the dining table center piece, the next time you
have grapefruit for breakfast, save the seeds, and
plant them quite thick, about one-half inch deep, in
a shallow earthen flower pot. Keep well watered. It
may take six weeks for the leaves to peep through, but
they make a beautiful green decoration for the house in
winter.

Do not forget your strawflowers which you dried in the
Summer. They look pretty with the Japanese air plant,
which stays green so long without water.

WATERING HOUSE PLANTS

Immerse the pot in a bucket of water, and leave it
until it stops bubbling. This done twice a week is far
better than daily sprinkling. Neither is it good to
keep water in a saucer under a plant; the roots do not
like a constant soaking. Wash the leaves from time to
time, and when the weather is warm enough, give them
some fresh air.

Tobacco dust will keep away green lice (aphides); so,
also, will Persian insect powder. Blow either on with
little bellows, or “air guns.”

There is a plant food for house plants which is sold by
dealers. One teaspoonful dug into the earth once in two
weeks is very beneficial to their growth.