92 WATER-LILIES 



in the very small gardens we have to be con- 

 tent with flowers about two inches, we will 

 now be able to grow some six or eight inches 

 across. 



For the smaller spaces, of say two to four 

 feet square, Marliac's yellow {N ymphcea 

 Marliacea, var. chromatella), the N . Laydekeri 

 varieties and N . exquisita will do well. But 

 the great majority will not do their best on a 

 water surface less than four feet square. 



The first named (chromatella) is decidedly 

 the hardiest and most satisfactory of all the 

 garden water-lilies. It is also one of the 

 oldest, dating from about 1888. The flower 

 is bright yellow, and on its first day sits like 

 a golden cup on the water. It has other very 

 decided claims to favour: A single stock will 

 give a continuous bloom from the first of 

 June until frost, and often there will be two 

 flowers open at once. The leaves usually 

 float on the water, and are beautifully mottled 

 with reddish brown. But in shallow water, 

 or when crowded, both leaves and flowers 

 rise several inches into the free air and grow 



