Ponds, Lakes and the Water Garden 



It is hardly necessary to say that all these details as to the 

 pond should first be carefully planned on paper, to scale. If 

 the garden is laid out in the natural style, the outline of the 

 water-surface should assume an irregular shape with deep bays 

 and promontories, not only for the purpose of giving variety to 

 the outline but also in order to have the opportunity of placing 

 plants of different character in the locations best adapted to their 

 requirements and habits, for some plants give better effects when 

 planted on a bold point projecting into the water-line than when 

 planted in a hollow or at the head of a bay, while others, which 

 are low-growing, give much better results when planted close to 

 the water and along the margin of a bay shore. 



In laying out a piece of water, there should be no straight or 

 regular lines, that is, no point of land should be exactly a dupli- 

 cate of any other point on the same pond, nor should there be 

 a repetition of the shape of any of the bays or indentations along 

 the shore line. 



After staking out the shore line, next clear the ground of any 

 brush, stumps or rough weeds, and excavate to the required depth 

 which should be at least three feet in the deepest part, gradually 

 getting more shallow as the shore-line is approached. If the soil 

 thus excavated is of good quality it will be of value for dressing 

 any poorer ground in the neighborhood. 



After the excavation work is done, smooth and level the 

 entire surface of the bottom and sides. Should the soil be of a 

 loamy, rocky or sandy nature or at all porous, puddling-clay of 

 a total thickness of six inches must be laid evenly over the entire 

 surface, this being spread in two layers, first one of four inches 

 thick and then a finishing coat of two inches. The clay for the 

 puddling should be free from all rock and should contain not 

 more than twenty-five per cent of sand. After the first layer of 

 four inches has been spread, the next operation is to break the 

 clay up with picks and hammers until all lumps are broken, when 

 a good soaking with water must be given. Then with a tamper, 



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