254 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



however, the aquatics are coming to the front, and an altogether fresh 

 impetus, as well as a great one, has resulted from the introduction of 

 the many charming new hybrid Nymphaeas which are fast making 

 their appearance in some of the best-known gardens. As yet many 

 of these hybrids are scarce, and care will be needed, and possibly 

 protection required, on the larger pieces of ornamental water where 

 water-fowl are encouraged. 



In planting these choicer kinds, some precaution is necessary when 

 sinking them into their places. Very deep water is not essential, but 

 if the pond be an artificial one, it will be found a good plan to 

 take a few bags of heavy loamy soil to the spot by means of a punt 

 and empty the soil over the side. Then the plant itself, well fixed 

 by wire to the side of a basket already filled with similar soil, should 

 be gradually lowered on to the mound of soil already deposited. In 

 the natural lake no soil will be needed before sinking the plant in 

 position, though similar means may be used to lower the plant, which 

 will quickly take to the accumulation of earth and leaves that years 

 have deposited. Many of the most lovely of aquatics may be grown 

 with considerable success even where neither pond, lake, rivulet, nor 

 ornamental water is found, some very good results having been derived 

 by growing them in tanks 2 feet or 3 feet deep into which a depth 

 of some 12 inches of clay earth has been placed. The recent hybrids 

 are well worthy of attention in this way, and if a fair-sized tank be 

 made and so placed that it will catch the rain water, so much the 

 better for the plants. In this way also fountain basins on the terrace 

 garden may be made to do some service. Besides the hybrid 

 Nymphaeas, such places are well suited if the water be fairly deep for 

 such things as Orontium aquaticum, the Pontederias, and Arrowheads, 

 all of which are perfectly hardy with their crowns 8 inches or 10 

 inches below the surface of the water, while Thalia dealbata, a rarely 

 seen plant from Carolina, is quite safe with similar treatment. 

 Indeed, it is to be regretted that this handsome plant is not more 

 frequently seen in the water where its handsome leaves and heads 

 of purple blossoms are very showy, but our country is too cool to 

 show its fine form and stature. 



FORMING THE WATER GARDEN. Fortunate indeed are those 

 through whose grounds runs a brook or streamlet. As a great many 

 of our most effective and most graceful hardy plants can be grown 

 either in the water itself or in the moisture-laden margin of a pond 

 or brook, it is surprising that more advantage is not taken of this fact 

 when the opportunity occurs. Even where natural ponds exist it 

 frequently happens that the banks of the pond, as well as the water 

 itself, are either perfectly bare, or are covered only by the rankest 

 weeds. The ponds chiefly considered here are those mostly formed 



