THE GREENHOUSE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1938, Page 11

THE GREENHOUSE

SUITABLE DECORATIONS. The stagings in greenhouses can be made more interesting if the outer row of plants is of varieties which fall over and form a kind of draping, thus hiding the hard edges. Where sunshine is strong, a fleshy leaved succulent plant, suitable for the purpose, is Othonna crassifolia. The inch-long fleshy leaves are suggestive of small cucumbers and for this reason has acquired the popular name of “Cucumber Plant.” The flowers are showy, and yellow in colour. Two grassy plants, very popular for stage edgings, are Isolepis gracilis and Festuca glauca. The first-named is of the sedge order and looks like a miniature rush, the inflorescence developing at the tips of the stems, causing these to fall over gracefully. The Festuca has stiffer blue-green leaves. Those who prefer something still more trailing can grow Selaginella caesia, which has very long, narrow growths of a blue green tint. Though rather large, for a small greenhouse, Anthericum gariegatum should not be overlooked. The leaves are ample and variegated with green and white, while the flowering stems after- blooming, bear young plants, the weight of which causes the stems to fall over more or less gracefully. It is a long suffering subject and easily propagated.