A LILY TANK 149 



occurred, there would be walls well planted above and 

 below, stretching away to right and left, and below 

 them long level spaces of grass. One of these long 

 grassy spaces might well be made into a perfect 

 picture gallery of the lovely modern developments 

 of Water-Lily, in connection with a Water-Lily court. 

 Straight down the middle of the turfed space might 

 be a narrow rill of water fifteen inches wide, easy to 

 step over, bounded by a flat kerb a foot to eighteen 

 inches wide and level with the grass. At intervals 

 in its length it would lead into separate small square- 

 sided tanks only a few feet wide, but large enough 

 to show the complete beauty of some one kind of 

 Water-Lily at a time, so that the lovely flowers and 

 leaves and surface of still water would be as it were 

 enclosed in a definite frame of stone or marble. 



Where at the lower or valley edge of these long 

 grassy spaces a descent occurred to the next lower 

 level there would be a dry wall planted with Cistus 

 and free-growing Roses — never, never^ sharp sloping 

 banks of turf. I always try to avoid the spirit of 

 intolerance in anything, but for these turf banks, so 

 frequent in gardens, I can only feel a distinct aver- 

 sion. Did such a turf bank ever give any one the 

 slightest happiness ? Did any one ever think it 

 beautiful ? The upper terrace wall above the level 

 of the Lily court would no doubt be surmounted by 

 a wrought-stone balustrade, but as the scheme de- 

 scended towards the lowest level the architectural 

 features would diminish, so that they would end in 

 a flagged walk only, with steps where needful. But 



