WATER GARDENS BY VARIOUS WATER GARDENERS. 259 



obstacle which caused a deviation in its course. We find invariably 

 that where a promontory, a projecting rock, or some other obstacle 

 caused an alteration in the course of the water, the latter is thrown 

 against the opposite bank with greater force, and unless the ground 

 be very hard a good portion of it is washed away by the force, and 

 an extended recess is the natural result. In the same way an 

 irregular pond to look natural should have the largest and boldest 

 recesses opposite or nearly opposite the largest promontory on the 

 other side. The shore-line should not terminate abruptly, but should 

 form a slope continued below the water level. 



In planting the shore of a pond or lake it is the ground which 

 projects into the water which should be furnished with the largest 

 and boldest plants. This is not only perfectly natural, but has also 

 the effect of partially concealing some of the recesses of the water. 

 A pond thus treated will appear larger than it really is, and a walk 

 around the shore-line will reveal fresh surprises with every step. 



Aquatics. — Of all plants suitable for the water garden, none 

 can surpass the Nymphaeas now that we have a variety of shades of 

 colour undreamt of a few years ago. The delicate pink Nymphaea 

 Marliacea carnea and the yellow N. M. Chromatella seem to make 

 the most rapid progress in English water gardens, while the white 

 Nymphaea pygmsea alba and the yellow N. p. Helvola are the 

 Liliputians of the race. Perhaps the most exquisite of the newer 

 kinds are N. M. Seignoretti (which is red, shaded with orange). 

 N, M. Robinsoni and the deep carmine N. M. ignea. A little less 

 expensive is the large deep red N. Laydekeri lilacea, while the 

 following are now to be got : N. Laydekeri rosea, deep rose, changing 

 to carmine ; N. odorata exquisita, rosy carmine ; N. o. rosacea, tender 

 rose shade ; N. o. rubra, deep rose, and N. odorata sulphurea, deep 

 yellow. Nuphar advena should not be used except in places where 

 there is plenty of room, when, as shown in the picture, even the 

 leaves alone produce a bold effect. The same might be said of our 

 native Water Lilies, Nymphaea alba and Nuphar lutea. Stratiotes 

 aloides (popularly known as the Water Soldier) is attractive, not so 

 much for its flowers as for its long leaves, which form a striking 

 contrast to other aquatics. Villarsia Humboldtiana and the native 

 Villarsia nymhpaeoides, with its small round leaves and yellow 

 flowers, form a good contrast to plants of a bolder type. Another 

 interesting aquatic is Vallisneria spiralis, with very long, narrow 

 leaves and small white flowers floating on the surface of the water. 



Aquatics for Shallow Water. — The common Sweet Flag 

 ( Acorus Calamus), the Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus), and the 

 Bulrush or Reed Mace (Typha latifolia) are bold as well as graceful 

 objects in shallow water, especially in a large lake, but in ponds 



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