288 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



itself was concerned a good collection of water lilies had 

 been brought together, which having seen, the first desire 

 of any one with a modicum of good taste would be to 

 get away from it as quickly as possible. 



Outside the boundaries of this estate along the same 

 stream. Nature had provided a splendid object lesson on 

 the principles of how to water garden. The native species 

 of water lilies are there, and the margins are delightfully 

 covered with a multitude of worth-while plants, with a 

 complement of small trees and shrubs. Altogether this 

 water garden of Nature's is a spot where one can spend 

 hours, leave with regret and the ho{>e to again have the 

 opportunity of revisiting it. 



It is, of course, obvious that we can increase the natural 

 opportunities which a stream gives us. If there are no 

 bays of still water, these can generally be formed with 

 little trouble. Sometimes the height of the banks and the 

 contours are such that nothing more is required but a 

 small dam to raise the height of the water a couple of 

 feet or so. 



The general treatment of the surroundings of water de- 

 pend somewhat upon the conditions which exist. The 

 margin should be laid out to conform to natural surround- 

 ings, and if the environment is not hamionious it should be 

 made so. An occasional tree or two and some shrubs to 

 break the sky-line, and to throw reflections of light and 

 shade into the water, are advisable. 



Water margins can be developed in numberless ways, 

 weaving all sorts of plants suitable to wet and moist 

 conditions into multitudes of variations. 



In planting the shore of a piece of water, it is the 

 ground which projects into the water which should be 

 furnished with the largest and boldest growing plants. 

 This is not only perfectly natural, but it also has the effect 

 of partiallv concealing the bays. \\'ater thus treated will 

 appear larger than it really is, and a walk along the shore 

 will reveal surprises at almost every step. 



Regarding ];lants suitable for a water garden, it must 

 be remembered that mainly three distinct conditions exist : 

 we have deep water, shallow water, and the moist earth 

 at the margins just above the water level. I'nfortunately 

 when water is bounded by masonry only plants which will 

 grow actually in the water can be used ^nd therefore 

 three-fourths of water garden possibilities cannot be ob- 

 tained. 



It is very important to realize one's limitations when 

 planting, es])ecially the water itself. A piece of water 

 covered entirely with vegetation has entirely lost its charm 

 and is little better than a swamp. 



A water garden must always have pieces of clear, open 

 water, and one must regulate both the quantity and the 

 species of the jjlants used so as to secure this end. .A 

 stretch of clear, still water always greatly increases the 

 restful and quieting influences of rural scenery. Of 

 course there is not room for much 0])en water in a small 

 artificial jxjol. but however small this may be there shouM 

 always be a jiortion of it not covered by i)lants. 



For deep water, water lilies of course take the first 

 place. The depth of water, absolutely necessary lor the 

 growth of these subjects is not great, but consideration 

 must be given to the depth to which water freezes. These 

 plants are found growing naturally in as much as six or 

 eight feet of water, and it is always best to have a few 

 inches of unfrozen water above their roots in Winter. 



The best time to plant water lilies is just before they 

 start into growth, or about the secfjnd week of May in the 

 latitude of New York, although success is not impo'isiblc 

 if planted any time from Aijril until September. What- 

 ever the conditions as regards mud at the bottom of the 

 water, it is well to |)repare a compost matle uji of equal 



parts of good fibrous loam and old cow manure. Wicker 

 baskets, or boxes with plenty of holes in them not less 

 than two inches in diameter, holding about half a bushel, 

 should be half filled with the compost ; put in the lilies 

 spreading their roots out properly, nearly fill up with 

 compost, adding half an inch of coarse sand to the surface 

 and a few stones weighing two or three pounds each, and 

 then sink into the water at the required spot. Water lilies 

 should be planted from six to ten feet apart according to 

 their habit of growth. 



No praise given to water lilies has approached exag- 

 geration even when confined to our native species, but 

 the newer hybrids raised by Tricker in America and by 

 Marliac in France, have greatly added to their character- 

 istics, not the least valuable of which is the longer season 

 of flowers which the hybrids give. In making a selection 

 regard must be given to the e.xtent of water to be planted ; 

 where the area is large enough to be capable of supjjorting 

 plants by the hundreds the question presents no difficulties 

 as they are all worth growing. 



America has been highly favored in the matter of water 

 lilies, it being the only country which has native white, 

 pink, and yellow flowered kinds ; and taking the country 

 as a whole it is the only one which can have so rich and 

 so continuous display from .-Vpril until October in the 

 open water without artificial heat. 



It may be mentioned in passing that sometimes a 

 method is arranged in connection with growing the more 

 tender and night blooming species in artificial pools or 

 tanks, of having warm water run in so that the temper- 

 ature of the water in which the plants are growing never 

 falls below the necessary degree of seventy. 



The common term water lily is given to three di.stinct 

 genera, Xuplnv, Nyinphcca and Nclmnbium, nearly all the 

 native species being classed under Xnl'har. Among the 

 latter adzriia is the strongest growing and should only be 

 planted in good sized pieces of water and not nearer than 

 twentv feet to any other species. There are some half a 

 dozen other native species hardy north of New York. 

 Among the Nymphaa, odorata is the best known and with 

 its variety rosea, Cape Cod Water Lily, are among the 

 hardiest. This species has been one of the parents ot 

 many of the hardy hybrids. 



The Nelumbiums are stately plants, and are easily dis- 

 tinguished by having both their flowers and foliage grow- 

 ing at a considerable height out of the water and not on 

 the surface. These plants when once established in con- 

 genial situations spread very rapidly, and for this reason 

 should not be planted near anything else, or even at all in 

 a small piece of water unless one desires it to be confinevl 

 to these alone. It is well to give them a bay to them- 

 selves when possible. 



The common name for Ncliniibiiini is lotus and there 

 are only two species in the world — unless there are undis- 

 covered ones — the native A'^. lutca and the oriental A'. 

 niicifcra of which there are several natural varieties. The 

 latter has wrongly been called the Fgyinian lotus, but 

 Nclwtibium is not native of l'"gypt. although it was culti- 

 vated there in Roman times, probably for food, as they are 

 now in la|)an. The F.gy]>tian lotus is a Nymplura. While 

 the oriental sjiecies is perfectly hardy ])rovided it always 

 has unfrozen water above its roots, the native species 

 should be included in a collection provided there is room, 

 as it is the only yellow N clumbinrn in the world. Nelum- 

 bimns should only he planted in .S]>ring, and Ihnl ;ifler ihe 

 tubers have shown signs of growth. 



Those who have not seen the Calla, Richardia cllicoj^icn. 

 growing wild in its South .African home may be unaware 

 that it i-- an a(|uatic, and can be treated as a hardy water 

 ( Continued on pa^^e 290) 



