176 MY GARDEN 



delicate and beautiful colouring. It flowers on into 

 October with me. I have yet to grow a real bright 

 yellow water-lily. Perhaps N. chrysantha would meet 

 the case, or the apricot-tinted " Aurora." 



I only mention these, because my very small ex- 

 perience does not extend beyond them ; but all are 

 good, hearty things with fine constitutions. 



Of other aquatics which float or stand anchored 

 among my water-lilies, I may mention the frog-bit 

 hydrocharis morsus ranae ; menyanthes trifoliata 

 the buck-bean loveliest of native flowers ; and 

 villarsia nymphaeoides a very beautiful yellow 

 blossom, fringed somewhat like the buck - bean, 

 and rising three inches above its flat, heart-shaped 

 leaves. Elsewhere, orontium aquaticum, or golden 

 club, prospers and spreads foliage of the most 

 lovely mingled greens upon the pond. From these 

 spring his brilliant but trifling yellow flower-spikes 

 in June. Myriophyllum spicatum pursues its un- 

 eventful way, for the most part submerged ; and 

 potamogeton crispus, I regret to say, is still with 

 me, although I have tried for three years to expel 

 him. In a weak moment, attracted by his beauty, 

 I gathered a strong runner or two and made him 

 free of my pond. But he abused this kindness, and 

 now I pull out many yards of him every year, yet 

 cannot eradicate his crimped purple streamers. 

 Another hardy Briton stratiotes aloides, the water 

 soldier fired by the example of potamogeton, pre- 

 pared to emulate him and fill my long-suffering 

 puddle from end to end ; but I dealt with him in 



