Stream and Pond Gardens 
natural plantings of streamside, lake, and pond, and if 
the possessor of the small garden is fortunate enough 
to have a little stream running through, or at the end 
of the site, much pleasure can be derived therefrom. 
Such cases are, however, rare, and the inclination is 
always to endeavour to make such artificial pools as 
the area will accommodate to look as natural as pos- 
sible. This can be done either in association with the 
rock garden, or as a simple pond in the portion of the 
grounds that are treated more freely as wild gardens. 
The average production is, however, rarely a very 
happy-looking concern, because insufficient care is 
taken to obliterate the necessary constructional work. 
A very natural-looking pool can be made, however, if 
the work is carefully carried out, and the owner does 
not object to moving more soil than is usually done. 
With regard to the shape little need be said, as this 
will depend on the individual taste of the owner. It 
should, however, be remembered that tortuous, or 
erratic, lines are not necessarily natural, and that here, 
as elsewhere, the keynote of success is simplicity. 
The principal difficulty in making artificial pools 
look natural is in hiding the cement edge, but this can 
be overcome if the following instructions are carefully 
adhered to, and it is indeed unnecessary that the 
minutest particle of cement be seen. Excavate the 
pool in such a way that the earth all round will slope 
down to the water level. This is imperative for many 
reasons, not the least being that such a pool in Nature 
would usually be found at the lowest level of the ground. 
The depth of the actual excavation of the pool should 
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