LITTLE GARDENS 



obscure its surface, which has a sky-reflecting 

 value and beauty of its own. We must crowd 

 our water-garden no more than we crowd our 

 garden of earth, or our air-garden in the orchid 

 house. And the tendency is not only to put in 

 plants which are too large for their setting, but 

 too many varieties. For pools of any size, how- 

 ever, we are always safe in the use of the pond- 

 lily, and it will reach up to the surface from a 

 depth of five or six feet, holding to the bottom 

 by its long, ropy stalk. The Zanzibar Hly in 

 blue, purple and a particularly lovely red is an 

 introduction from the East which is much used 

 in large grounds and parks. The Egyptian lotus 

 and yellow lotus are large for yards, and to 

 reach their best estate they require not only 

 room but artificial heat, except in our southern 

 belt. 



If the pond is natural it has its own basin, 

 which can be widened or lessened by digging or 

 filling, but if artificial, a bog must be prepared 

 for it, and this can be of sods and pebbles, if it 

 is a large and informal sheet of water, or if it is a 

 mere bowl it can be cemented or bricked and pro- 

 vided with an overflow-pipe, which needs a wire 

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