H4 GARDENS PAST AND PRESENT 



It is not given to everyone to have the oppor- 

 tunity of a quiet reach on a river, or a peaceful 

 lake-head of just the right depth and aspect for 

 water lilies; but a pond of some sort is a very 

 constant accompaniment of the garden of a country 

 house. It may chance to be of the clear, bright 

 kind that will accommodate water lilies to perfec- 

 tion, and then by all means they should be grown ; 

 but any and every pond will not serve. Pond 

 water is too often apt to be green, full of stringy 

 weed, and stagnant, and to require raking out more 

 frequently than is at all convenient; or overhang- 

 ing boughs may throw too deep a shade for the 

 sun-loving lilies. The depth for strong growing 

 sorts, like M. Latour-Marliac's, should be from 

 two to three feet. 



In gardening matters it is impossible to lay 

 down unalterable laws, for some of the best blue 

 and pink as well as white water lilies I have seen 

 were growing in quarters grimy enough the waste 

 water tank of a Staffordshire colliery as unlikely 

 a place as could well be tried for flowers so pure 

 and lovely. The element of success in that in- 

 stance was found in the constant inflow of the 

 warm water pumped up by the colliery engine. 



In some large gardens, as at Wisley, water 

 channels, in the shape of canals or pools, may be 

 adapted or even artificially constructed, through 

 which a current of fresh water is continually pass- 

 ing, but without causing any great surface agita- 

 tion. Here admirable positions may be found for 

 the broad lily pads and flowers to make beautiful 

 pictures, as, in exquisite tints of sulphur or rose 



