WATER GARDENS 105 



Water Gardens 

 pools for lilies and other aquatics 



IT IS possible for any flower lover to grow Water Lilies. All that 

 is necessary is a few square feet of water surface in a sunny spot. 

 For the smaller garden, one can cut a water barrel in two about 

 eighteen inches from the bottom, fill it two-thirds full of rich soil and 

 sink it in the ground at least six inches, although deeper is better. 

 Plant one or two LiUes, then fill with water. 



The next water garden in size may be made of a hogshead (about 

 six feet in diameter). Saw in half (to make two ponds); sink in the 

 ground as before; and plant five or six Lilies in each. These ponds 

 should be flushed with a garden hose at least once a week to prevent 

 stagnation. 



Larger pools lend themselves to a wider variety of treatment as to 

 shape, size and kinds of plants used. First of all it should be decided 

 whether the pool is to fit into a formal scheme, in which case it should 

 be regular in outline; or is to serve as a naturalistic feature and, 

 is, therefore, to be treated informally. 



FORMAL POOLS 



For a small, brick pond excavate to a depth of about two and one- 

 half feet, curving the sides to an angle of about forty-five degrees. 

 Lay the floors first and then the sides, covering the whole with a 

 coating of cement. Concrete pools are made in practically the same 

 manner except that the frost line must be considered (See details in 

 Fig. 94). In arranging the water supply for such a pool, it is found 



V«Tf lo^ai' 



v/7m/j///{i// 





Fig. 95. — Cross section of a puddled clay pool showing construction of bottom and mar- 

 gins, intake and overflow pipes, and also depths of soil and water needed 



