86 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



a never-ending and ever-changing source of enjoy- 

 ment. Even in lands of much natural water the 

 chief charm of the garden is a well-stocked pond or 

 lake, but in a country like California, with few 

 streams of size or inland bodies of note, water in 

 a garden adds a wealth and variety impossible to 

 produce with any other agency. 



Many are deterred from acquiring a water garden 

 through fear of cost and care, but this phase of gar- 

 dening is only costly when one builds on a large 

 scale. You may have your goldfish and water lilies 

 in one or more half-barrels if but one, a pair of 

 fan-tailed goldfish costs but a dollar and a plant of 

 the more common kinds of water lilies the same, so 

 that all you need is a half-barrel and two dollars. 

 Care there is not, for this proper balance of animal 

 and vegetable life keeps the water pure and clear at 

 all times. 



AQUATIC FLOWERS 



In the great family of nymphea alone the range 

 of color starts with the purest white and ranges by 

 an almost imperceptible gradation to three strik- 

 ingly deep and beautiful extremes of color orange, 

 crimson and blue, the two latter being really maroon 

 and indigo, respectively, so intensely deep and sub- 

 stantial are these wonderful colorings. Only one 

 other class of plants yields flowers of such exquisite 

 color and texture the tropical orchids, and then 

 only when grown under glass with tropical heat and 

 moisture and in no wise rivalling the aquatics in 

 size of bloom. 



The greatest charm of the water garden lies in 

 the ability of every one to grow these blossoms of 

 richest hue in the open garden with nothing to be 

 done but watch them unfold their magnificence under 



