64 ROCK AND WATER GARDENS 



thus provided, and above it was spread a foot deep of 

 peaty loam. The surface was made as irregular as 

 possible, rising in small hillocks and ridges from the 

 watercourse. The symmetrical appearance of the 

 latter was then masked by rough stones, so placed 

 that they produced an impression of water flowing 

 along a small rocky channel. In two places the minia- 

 ture stream was bridged by flat boulders. 



Some amount of ingenuity was next expended on the 

 tubs. The rims were hidden by an edging of flat stones, 

 resting on a collar of cement — this was found necessary 

 in order to prevent the water from overflowing, instead 

 of passing along the channel to the next tub. The 

 stones were of all shapes and sizes, and were so arranged 

 that they did not follow the barrel rims exactly, but 

 produced small angles and crevices, with an occasional 

 larger piece of rock jutting out over the water. When 

 finished, no two pools were of exactly the same 

 shape. 



Simple steps of rough stone lead down to the sunken 

 water garden from its upper end, passing behind the 

 rock mounds. In the joints, ivy-leaved Toad Flax, 

 Campanula pusilla, and some of the smaller Saxifrages 

 have become established. The pools nearest to the path 

 are also approached by steps, with a stone slab at the 

 edge to give convenient foothold for closer examination 

 of the Lilies. 



When making this garden, adequate means for 

 supplying water to the bog plants themselves was un- 

 fortunately overlooked. As it is, they are occasionally 

 refreshed and the soil kept moist, by a few cansful from 

 the water-barrow. This entails slight extra labour, 

 which, I think, might have been avoided. A small 

 iron cistern could have been sunk in the ground at the 

 point where the supply-pipe emerged from the rock 

 mound. An overhanging edge of stones would have 



