112 WALL AND WATER GARDENS 



Flowering Rush {Butomus) makes one think that 

 here is some tropical beauty escaped from a hot-house, 

 so striking is its umbel of rosy bloom carried on the 

 tall, round, dark-green stem. It has the appearance 

 of a plant more fitted to accompany the Papyrus and 

 blue Water-Lily of ancient Egypt than to be found 

 at home in an English river. This charming plant 

 would look well near Equisetum Tebnateia, which 

 would grow close down to the water's edge. 



The yellow Iris of our river banks is also an in- 

 dispensable plant for the water-garden, and will do 

 equally well just in the water or just out of it. Not 

 unlike its foliage is that of the Sweet Sedge {Acorus 

 Calamus), fairly frequent by the river bank. I have 

 driven my boat's nose into a clump of it when about 

 to land on the river bank, becoming aware of its 

 presence by the sweet scent of the bruised leaves. 



The branched Bur-reed {Sparganium raniosuin) has 

 somewhat the same use as the Sweet Sedge in the 

 water-garden, making handsome growths of pale- 

 green luscious-looking foliage, and spikes of bloom 

 that are conspicuous for the class of plant ; it is re- 

 lated to the Chair-Rush {Scirpus). It grows in very 

 shallow water and in watery mud. The Cyperus 

 Sedge {Carex pseudo- Cyperus) is also handsome for 

 much the same use. 



Of the floating river flowers the earliest to bloom 

 is the large Water Buttercup {Ranunculus floribundus) ; 

 its large quantity of white bloom is very striking. 

 Where this capital plant has been established there 

 might be a good planting of Marsh Marigold near it 



