57 



Gardening for Amateurs 



a pleasing addition to the attraction of the 

 water garden. When the ground is treated 

 on different levels as suggested, the water 

 must be dammed at the points A and B, 

 and an ordinary drain-pipe of at least 3-inch 

 internal dimension inserted for cleansing 

 purposes, and to enable the water to be 

 drawn off when necessary ; a wooden plug 



A little bog and water garden. 



is then inserted from the inlet end, before 

 the water is admitted to the pools. 



Making the Pond Watertight. Once 

 the excavated area is prepared and levelled, 

 with the sides made firm, the lining of the 

 channel is proceeded with ; in the case of 

 clay, this requires to be thoroughly puddled 

 as it is laid down, and a thickness of 9 inches 

 is necessary. Clay is only satisfactory when 

 there are no large trees close at hand ; in 



default of clay, concrete is largely used, and 

 is put down in two layers ; the first coat is 

 made of rough ballast 3 parts to 1 of cement, 

 and when this becomes firm the second coat 

 is applied of finer material, 3 parts of sand 

 to 1 of cement. The latter should be 

 carefully trowelled to produce a close, fine- 

 grained face, and the two coats combined 

 will give a thickness of 4 to 

 6 inches. When the cement 

 margin comes against the 

 lawn, or where it is likely to 

 be seen, the top edge must be 

 kept fairly level, so that the 

 turf may come right to the 

 water edge and hide it. 



The Soil to Use. Not 

 until the cement is firmly set 

 can the soil for the bog-beds 

 be placed in position ; a com- 

 post of fibrous loam and peat 

 in equal parts gives the best 

 results, but any good garden 

 soil may be used in place of 

 loam, and if mixed with a 

 third part decayed leaves and 

 the same quantity of peat, 

 a useful compost for the 

 different plants will result. 

 When the bog-beds are com- 

 pleted, the soil will be some 

 6 to 9 inches above the water 

 level, this being to the advan- 

 tage of the choicer plants, as 

 the crowns are then well above 

 water, and in winter are com- 

 paratively dry, while the roots 

 readily penetrate to the water 

 below. Newly cemented basins 

 should be carefully rinsed out, 

 to free them froin all loose 

 cement before introducing 

 soil for Water Lilies or other 

 aquatics ; the soil for these is arranged 

 in low mounds on the floor of the basins 

 before the water is admitted, a depth of 9 

 to 12 inches being necessary for Nymphaeas 

 and the strongest aquatics, while 6 to 9 

 inches of soil is plenty for those of lesser 

 vigour. When the soil is in position water 

 may be admitted to half cover the mounds ; 

 the aquatics are then planted, and the tanks 

 filled with water to their normal level. 



