130 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



" One of the charms of water is that it enhances 

 by reflection any colour effect. This may be taken 

 advantage of along the banks and on the islands, 

 by planting bold groups of shrubs or such herbaceous 

 plants as, if not actually aquatic in habit, like a 

 moist subsoil. Even in winter a charming effect 

 has been obtained at Kew by planting groups 

 of coloured-bark willows on one of the islands. 

 When the sun catches them they light up like 

 lambent flame. 



" Water surfaces should be allowed to produce 

 their own effect, and should not be allowed to be 

 covered up with floating plants. If this is neglected 

 the lake degenerates into a swamp. Clumps of 

 water-lilies should be kept near the banks, and not 

 at such a distance as to make the beauty of their 

 flowers inconspicuous. 



"I have said above that a lake should not be 

 merely an object in itself, but an item in a com- 

 position. When made, the task of weaving it, as 

 it were, into its surroundings is best accomplished 

 gradually, and is often effected, as at Kew, by 

 judicious cutting out. Two objects should be 

 arrived at: the one is to open up points of view 

 in which the presence of water will tell ; the other 

 is to obtain a pleasing balance in the disposition of 



