Ponds, Lakes and the Water Garden 



these very interesting and beautiful flowers. These soil-boxes 

 or basins should be made, if possible, of brick or concrete and 

 should be about fifteen inches deep and four feet square. Fill 

 them with soil composed of one-half rich surface loam and one- 

 half old well-decomposed cow or horse-manure, the loam and the 

 manure having been first well-mixed together, a month or so 

 before being used, by being turned over several times. Fill the 

 boxes to within two inches of the top and top-dress with one 

 inch of coarse gravel. 



After setting out the Water Lilies (which should be in early 

 March) and as soon as the roots are planted, turn in the water 

 and fill the pond until the water covers the boxes three inches, 

 keeping the water at that level until the plants begin to throw up 

 their young leaves when the pond may be filled to the surface 

 or the level designed. 



The planting of the margin should now also be attended to, 

 the semi-aquatics such as the Japanese Iris, the Papyrus anti- 

 quorum and the Call a being set out nearest the water or where the 

 water is not more than a few inches deep. On the promontories 

 may be planted Bamboos, Arundos, Birches, Willows, Pampas 

 grass, Eulalias, and, where the grounds are very large the Swamp 

 Cypress of Louisiana (Taxodium distichum). 



In planting out the Water Lilies, place the Nelumbiums in 

 the largest basins and the smaller-growing Nymphaeas in the 

 basins nearer the edges. 



The Nymphsea odorata, a native of the Eastern States, will 

 be found one of the best for general planting, having beautiful 

 pure-white flowers of delicious fragrance. There are several 

 varieties of this lovely species, including Nymphsea Caroliniana 

 with petals of delicate pink, a good grower with large flowers. 

 Another charming variety is Nymphsea exquisita, a moderate 

 grower with rose-colored flowers, while Nymphsea sulphurea, 

 with yellow flowers, is one of the very best for cultivation in our 

 ponds, its flowers being large and standing up clear of the water 



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