n 4 WALL AND WATER GARDENS 



Frog-bit is another pretty floating plant, with heart- 

 shaped leaves and habit of growth not unlike Villarsia. 



The Water Soldier (Stratiotes) is a curious thing 

 and handsome in its way. The whole plant is not 

 unlike the bunch of spiny-edged foliage in the top 

 of a Pine Apple, but of a dark bottle-green colour 

 and a foot long. It grows at the bottom, rising only 

 to flower and then sinking again. It is more a 

 curiosity than a useful water-garden ornament, but 

 it certainly gives interest to a watery region to know 

 that this strange thing is there, and that with luck 

 one may be on the spot to see it flower. 



The Butter-bur (Petasites), with its large leaves a 

 foot or more across, makes a great effect as a foliage 

 plant on the pond edge, or where .a space of very 

 shallow slope comes down to the water. 



The Buckbean (Menyanthes) is one of the prettiest 

 of English flowers. Its home is the muddy edge of 

 river or pond or very wet bog ; it does not need run- 

 ning water. The leaves are rather like three leaves 

 of Broad Bean, joined into a large trefoil ; they stand 

 up out of the water. The flowers, which also stand 

 well up, are a spike of pretty pink bloom ; the whole 

 blossom is ornamented by a fringing of white hairs. 

 It is a plant of the Gentian tribe, as is also the Villarsia. 



The Summer Snowflake (Leucojum <zstivuiri] is beauti- 

 ful beside the pond or pool ; in strong alluvial soil 

 growing to a surprising size. It is one of the best of 

 plants for growing in quantity in tufts like Daffodils ; 

 indeed in meadow land by stream or pond the two 

 plants would meet and amalgamate happily, the 



