146 WALL AND WATER GARDENS 



space a flight of easy steps (the first thing shown at 

 the top of the plan) would descend to the Water-Lily 

 court, landing on a wide flagged path that passes all 

 round the tank. On all four sides there are also steps 

 leading down from the path into the water. I cannot 

 say why it is, but have always observed that a beauti- 

 ful effect is gained by steps leading actually into 

 water. In this case I would have the two lowest steps 

 actually below the water-line. Although steps are 

 in the first instance intended for the human foot, yet 

 we have become so well accustomed to the idea of 

 them as easy means of access from one level to 

 another that in many cases they are also desirable as 

 an aid to the eye, and in such a place as I think of, 

 the easy lines of shallow steps from the level of the 

 path to that of the water-surface and below it, would, 

 I consider, be preferable to any raised edging such 

 as is more usually seen round built tanks. It would 

 give the eye the pleasant feeling of being invited to 

 contemplate the Lilies at its utmost ease, instead of 

 being cut off from them by a raised barrier. On the 

 sides of the path away from the tank is a flower 

 border, backed by the wall that bounds the whole 

 area of the court. On the three sides, to the right 

 and left and across the tank as you stand on the main 

 flight of steps, the wall, midway in each space, falls 

 back into a half-round niche. The niche across the 

 tank is filled with Cannas, the taller kinds at the back 

 for stately stature and nobility of large leafage ; the 

 smaller ones, of lower habit and larger bloom, being 

 planted towards the front. Coming down the steps 



