“A box filled with soil all winter constantly in a state of moisture is quite likely to spring or spread apart at the joints.  The better fitted the joints the better the box, and the better it stands the inside pressure and moisture continually brought to bear upon it.

“As to paint, of course the box must have one coat (perhaps two) on the outside.  A dark green is all around the best.  Green is always the best setting for plants.  Nature made this colour scheme.  We only follow her lead.

“After the box is made, and the paint dry, it must be filled.

“Do any of you girls happen to know just where in the school room the boxes are to be placed?”

“One goes into a south window, and I believe the other is to be in a north one,” replied Dee.

“That certainly tells us enough to help us in selecting plants for these boxes.  The kind of plants to place in the box depends upon whether the box is to go into a bright sunny window or into one which gets little or no sun.  Everyone knows the most satisfactory plant of all for sunny windows is the geranium.  It is easy enough to get them for schools without money, because this is the time when everyone’s mother is taking up plants for the winter, some of which are always thrown away.  Many large, old plants slipped make six or more good little chaps.  Begonias are most satisfactory; you can plant these either in sun or shade.  A good one for a shady window is the one called the ‘beefsteak’ begonia.

“Fuchsias make a fine show.  If you wish to have a plant of some height do not choose a fern or palm, for these plants need so much water they should always be planted by themselves in single pots or in fern dishes.  The amount of water required for a palm would cause ordinary plants, like geraniums, to decay.  So choose plants which take up about the same quantity of water.  For height, then, one might plant a flowering maple.  These are fine in leaf and blossom.  So they add much to the box.  Dracenas are good for both sun and shade; so, too, is pandanus.  The foliage of this is pleasing.  Much is added to the general effect if some plants which form long hangers are put in, and planted close to the front side of the box.  In sun or shade the Wandering Jew grows.  A bit breaks off; it is stuck back into the earth and again it grows.  Pieces cut and put into water grow equally well.  Trailing over the sides of the vessel they are in, they make a pleasing effect in a corner, or by the side of a window.

“An important thing to be remembered in connection with window boxes is that the closer you plant the better the growth of the plants.  It sounds wrong.  We think that plants ought to have space to grow in.  They should, usually; but space defeats the object of the window box, because the idea is to have top growth and blossom.  If you give plants a chance to grow under the ground they will do it at a sacrifice to their growth above ground.  So crowd the plants in.  The root growth, thus limited and checked, gives added strength above.  This is true too, in a measure, of planting in pots.  Most people put plants in too large pots, and so fail often to get good top growth and blossom.  Notice next time you drop into a florist’s shop the large palms in comparatively small pots.  Why is this?  Just to get good growth of foliage.