PART I.] CULTURAL 61 



beneath. But if the soil is filled up to such an extent that the 

 rising water cannot be seen on the surface, it would be well to 

 mark the course of this underground trench with a few sticks 

 projecting through the soil, to guide us when planting, and 

 enabling us to put all plants requiring an extra degree of 

 moisture directly over the water-trench where the roots could 

 help themselves to the water. 



" On a steep slope, where the forming of such beds would be 

 difficult, an ordinary lead pipe, a few inches underground and 

 perforated at intervals, will be found useful, and may be regu- 

 lated so as to supply water trickling through the soil through- 

 out the summer." 



WATER-PLANTS IN THE ROCK-GARDEN. 



The water-garden has no essential connection with alpine 

 or rock-gardens for this reason (among others), that millions of 

 acres of many countries are covered with beautiful rock plants 

 with no water near. But as some water often occurs in con- 

 nection with the rock-garden, it may as well be treated 

 rightly. Many beautiful natural alpine gardens are far above 

 all water, except what falls from the clouds as snow or rain. 

 Many alpine plants live on sunny rocks and in high waterless 

 plateaux, and my own wish in the formation of alpine gardens 

 would be to get as near as I could to the same conditions. I 

 would seek exposure to all winds and weathers, and on as elevated 

 and open airy spots as I could, keeping my stream, banks, 

 and water-margins in the vale for other and stouter plants. 

 Of late years a precious aid has come to us in the shape of 

 many beautiful uncommon things for the water-garden, -and 

 above all, the hardy water-lilies, raised by M. Latour Marliac, 

 which give us in a cold country such beauty as at one time was 

 thought to be only possible in sub-tropical countries. We now 

 have water-lilies so bright in colour, as hardy as a Dock, and 

 it is impossible to resist such beauties, especially when we may 

 grow them in a small pool, and in close relation to our rock- 

 garden, if such we desire. A skilfully-formed lakelet will be 

 prettier than a stiff tank, but in either it is quite easy to grow 



