FLOWERS ON WATER SIDE AND SURFACE 121 



gorgeous scene, "Rhododendrons, the Upper 

 Pleasure Ground, Moor Park." Here may be 

 seen the value of bold planting, masses of rhodo- 

 dendrons smothered in the early summer days with 

 pink and purple flowers that gain in splendour 

 by their reflection in the water. Such a shrub is 

 peculiarly appropriate under these circumstances, 

 the masses of flowers shown in such relief by the 

 surrounding woodland. It is, however, the water- 

 lily that has brought water-loving flowers into our 

 gardens, and a lake surface bejewelled with the 

 hybrids of Latour-Marliac and others is a summer 

 picture not easily forgotten. All honour to this 

 great French hybridist for endowing our gardens 

 with such wondrous beauty. I hope that the 

 following remarks gleaned from a lecture given by 

 him a few years ago before the Royal Horticultural 

 Society will be welcomed amongst these thoughts 

 on English gardens. He mentioned in that 

 memorable lecture that the nymphaeas are nearly 

 all of equal hardiness but frequently difier amongst 

 themselves in their early or late blooming, in their 

 standing up above the water or floating on it, in 

 their flowers being many or few, or in tlietr general 

 structure and growth being compact or wide-spread- 

 ing. Some of these form strong clumps which 



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