86 



WATER PLANTS. 



In improving that part of the grounds formerly occupied by the 

 canal advantage was taken of the position to construct a small lake, 

 mainly for the purpose of introducing a collection of native water 

 plants. 



The ornamental as well as the picturesque effects of this class of 

 plants are mostly quite neglected in modern landscape gardening. It 

 is not uncommon to find artificial lakes in parks and pleasure grounds 

 wholly destitute of this class of vegetation, and although water surface 

 is seldom uninteresting in scenery there is no reason why it should not 

 possess all the attractions and sanitary effects which can be imparted 

 by the introduction of suitable flowering plants. 



No flower in the garden border can excel, either in beauty of form or 

 indelicacy of fragrance, the white water-lily, Nymphcea odor at a ; the 

 large cup-shaped yellowish flowers, boldly projected out of the water 

 on long foot stalks, of the Nelumbium luteum ; and the less showy 

 blossoms of the yellow pond-lily, Nupliar advena, in connection with 

 the massive spread of the large leaves, especially those of the Nelum- 

 bium, which are frequently 18 inches in diameter, produce an effect 

 equal to the best efforts of the most distinguished artist in that popu- 

 lar formation of u foliage" plants known as "carpet bedding." 



In addition to the water-lilies, various other interesting species of 

 water plants have been introduced and are spreading rapidly in the 

 lake. Several of the curiously horned seeds of the Trapa natans were 

 thrown in, and in due time the small triangular-shaped leaves made 

 their appearance on the surface, neatly arranged in roseate form. Sev- 

 eral plants of a tropical Limnocharis spread rapidly daring the summer, 

 and produced abundantly of its yellow flowers. The duck-weed, Lemna, 

 thrown in a sheltered cove, speedily covered the surface with its diminu- 

 tive greenery. In deeper water, plants of the eel-grass ( Vallisneria 

 spiralis] were planted, and in shallow recesses various species were in- 

 troduced, as Potamogetan, Calla, Pontederia, Caltlia, Acorus, Polygonum, 

 etc. On prominent points, tall, reedy plants will be disposed, such as 

 Typhas and Sparaganiums, with Cyperus, Juncus, and smaller growths 

 as marginal plants to the taller central groups. 



A small island was formed, having its surface raised about 6 inches 

 above the water level with sphagnum, in which various low-growing 

 bog plants were inserted, such as the pitcher plant (Sarraceniapurpurea), 

 the horse-tail grasses (Equisetums], with Habenarias, and similar low- 

 growing forms that are to be found in woody swamps and wet meadows. 



The effective arrangement of water and bog plants in and on the 

 margins of lakes should be as much a subject of artistic study as is the 

 arrangement of trees and shrubs in park scenery. This branch of land- 

 scape decoration is wholly neglected, but it is destined to become popu- 



