

I I 



I I 



I Became a Fancier 



EDITH PROCTOR 



I 



To plan and lay out a garden, build a 

 fountain, and thereafter* 'Idulge ir the 

 delights of raising water lilies and othex 

 aquatic plants had long been a smolder- 

 ing ambition. Some time ago I purchased 

 a property which, while not large, proved 

 well adapted to fulfil my desires. Within 

 a week the ground was broken for a pond 

 twelve feet in diameter. In its construc- 

 tion two inlets were provided for fresh 

 water, with an adequate outlet, while an 

 additional line of pipe ran to the centre 

 to supply the fountain. The pond was of 

 concrete. 



Now my attention turned to the selec- 

 tion of water lilies. Large white, pink, 

 red and yellow ones were chosen and set 

 in boxes under eighteen inches of water. 

 Four weeks later I was rewarded with 

 three beautiful blooms and, though I have 

 since had as many as twenty-five in a sin- 

 gle day, none have seemed as wonderful 

 as that first success. 



But, beautiful though water lilies may 

 be, one needs other plants, and our native 

 species are not to be despised. About 

 five miles from town I discovered a large 

 pond. I will never forget my delight as 

 I came upon this spot, so wild and almost 

 unknown to man. I have visited famous 

 gardens from coast to coast, and not even 

 Santa Catalina, with its wonderful marine 

 gardens, could vie with this little inland 

 pool. The surface was covered by lilies, 

 with Arrowheads, Anacharis, Homwort, 

 Starwort and mosses in profusion, each 

 seeming to strive to excel the others in 

 daintiness and beauty. Saucy green frogs 

 blinked from the lily pads, seemingly 

 proud of the hundreds of tadpoles bask- 



ing in the warm June sunshine. As I 

 stood there, lost in profound admiration, 

 the opening lines of Thanatopsis flashed 

 through my mind : "To him who in the 

 love of Nature holds communion with 

 her visible forms, she speaks a various 

 language." 



Water Lily (Nymphaea) 

 From Bisset's "Water Gardening" 



Many times I visited the pond, and 

 thus the pool in the city grew more lovely. 

 The snails multiplied and strange insects 

 began to inhabit the water. A little turtle 

 appeared and, later in the season, as un- 

 ceremoniously disappeared. Then came a 

 frog and still another, and again six baby 

 frogs. With these we parted as soon as 

 possible. Four sprightly goldfish com- 



