FLOWERS ON WATER SIDE AND SURFACE 129 



" Supposing, then, the lake to be of moderate 

 size, the first indispensable condition is that it 

 should not be seen all at once. The fundamental 

 principle of landscape gardening is the excitement 

 of curiosity. Every step should invite some further 

 exploration and reward with some new but not 

 final discovery. The lake should therefore be 

 broken up into islands relatively large in size, but 

 set off with ample water surfaces. The islands 

 should be heavily wooded with well-disposed 

 clumps of trees. These give effects of Ught and 

 shadow on the water which are often in striking 

 contrast. The neighbouring banks in this case 

 should be well wooded, too, but more sparsely. 

 Where the lake is more open and the banks barer, 

 the vegetation on the island should be kept thinner 

 and lower. 



"The margins should avoid any stiff or hard 

 outline, and should continue here and there into 

 promontories, which will define corresponding bays. 

 The former should be accentuated by boldly placed 

 trees, or may be clothed with shrubs. The bays 

 may be edged with well-chosen water plants, which 

 should not be allowed to form a continuous hedge, 

 but should be broken here and there to allow the 



turf to slope down to the water side. 



17 



