154 HOW TO PLAN THE HOME GROUNDS 



extending down to a small lake or pond or running 

 stream, we can try to see what ideas will suggest them- 

 selves as to different ways of treating the water. In the 

 first place, it should be established that it is not well to 

 attempt to make artificial pools and streams of water. 

 It can, of course, be done, but it is generally difficult, 

 on account of an imperfect supply of water, or else of 

 a lack of fitness of the conformation of the ground for 

 the water effect that it is possible to obtain. Flooded 

 territories are not apt to be satisfactory in appearance. 

 The conditions do not seem to be normal, the landscape 

 not quite natural-looking. 



The treatment of the natural stream or pool is a 

 simple one in itself, and it is hardly possible to do any- 

 thing but widen or narrow it, so as to create some spe- 

 cially fitting effect, or to plant it to a limited extent 

 with water-lilies and aquatics, always being careful to 

 arrange for large spaces of open water. There are also 

 agreeable relations to be established with territory ad- 

 joining the water, and these afford much opportunity for 

 study. 



The site of the house should be so placed, whenever 

 possible, as to get the best views or glimpses of the 

 pools or streams, and the walks should also be laid out 

 so as to gracefully and naturally pass out and in the 

 masses of shrubbery or groves of trees, so that from 

 the house beautiful vistas ending in water landscape 

 should greet the eye. When the water can be secured 

 as an important or dominant feature of the landscape, 

 the arrangement of even the smallest pools can be so con- 

 trived as to enhance the charm of the water element in 

 the general scheme. Though the place be so narrow 

 that it is only possible to carry a straight walk from the 



