282 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



regards distant and near objects, will determine 

 the character and manner of the planting. 



That a pond or lake of any considerable 

 size should be destitute of all assistance from 

 tree or shrub, seems opposed to nature as well 

 as to good taste, and we would say that a piece 

 of water which will not admit of being planted 

 round about in certain parts, is itself in the 

 wrong place. Trees and vegetation generally 

 seek the water all over the world; but the trees 

 that the landscape-gardener should employ are 

 those which succeed when in the neighbourhood 

 of water, such as Willows of all kinds, Alders, 

 Catalpas, American Oaks, Acers, Siberian 

 Crabs, Weeping Ash, Taxodium, Savine, the 

 Yews, &c. 



On the more elevated parts of the banks the 

 plants may consist of Hazel, Sea-Buckthorn, 

 Thorns in variety, Arundo Donax, and the varie- 

 gated variety of this species. Forsythia sus- 

 pense/,, Quince, Philadelphia in variety, Snow- 

 berry, this also in damper places; Lilacs, Cor tuts 

 sanguiitea, C. alba, Laburnum, Pampas Grass, 

 Bamboos, and some of the larger herbaceous 

 perennials. Should the lake or stream be 

 totally detached from the pleasure-grounds, 

 the more appropriate plants would be those 

 that are indigenous to the country, or are the 

 least costly. These, if employed with taste 

 and judgment, and in large or small masses 

 have as good an appearance as exotics, ever, 

 those which may be equally as hardy. 



One thing should always be well considered 

 before any attempt is made in the introduction 

 of artificial lakes, and that is, that the stream 

 which affords the supply of water should be 

 large enough in volume to keep the whole pure 

 and in a clear state. It does not require nearly 

 so much water to do this as might be imagined, 

 even when the body of water in the lake is large, 

 but the flow should be continuous, or during 

 long droughts the Avater may become offensive, 

 not only in appearance, but on account of the 

 exhalations proceeding from it — in which case, 

 instead of having the effect intended, it would 

 become a nuisance and a danger to health. As 

 a further means of preserving a clear, whole- 

 some body of water, it should have an average 

 depth of 3 feet. 



Towards its exit the lake should have a depth 

 of from 6 to 8 feet to the bottom of the pen- 

 stock, so that in case of its becoming foul at any 

 time, or for the sake of securing the fish which 

 it ought to contain, it could be rapidly emptied. 

 The ordinary exit of the water should be the 

 so-called frog's mouth, a long slit-like aperture 



of 6 inches in width, and from 12 to 20 feet in 

 length, according to the size of the lake. If it 

 be a stream artificially widened out, no dam at 

 the lower portion would be required unless the 

 descent is very rapid, when a kind of waterfall 

 might be desirable for the purpose of retaining 

 the water at all seasons at its proper level. If 

 a lake is fed through a pipe from a river, 

 this should be furnished with a sluice, which 

 should be closed when the river water is in a 

 i dirty state, as is the case at the time of floods 

 or after rain-storms. Failure to do this results 

 in the gradual filling up of the lake with mud, 

 the removal of which is often troublesome and 

 costly. 



In the shallower parts and on the margin of 

 ; the water, in positions where they will produce 

 : the most natural effect, groups of water-loving 

 plants should be introduced, such as Nymphseas, 

 Nuphars, Sedges, Reeds, Bullrush, Flags, &c. 

 This can easily be managed, as near the edge 

 the excavation need not be deep, and fitting 

 accommodation can readily be afforded for 

 them. 



All walks in the vicinity of natural or arti- 

 ficial water should be rendered dry, otherwise 

 the scenery cannot be viewed in comfort. There 

 may, however, be a piece of smoothly -shorn 

 lawn of varying width between the walk and 

 the water's edge. 



From what has been said it will be seen that 

 a lake offers considerable scope for excellent 

 landscape effects. 



Some lakes are of such modest dimensions 

 that arboreal planting is scarcely admissible, 

 and the decorations on the banks must perforce 

 consist of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and 

 alpine plants disposed in small colonies. 



Where confined water is not convenient, the 

 water-side garden may be by a brook or stream 

 side. "Landscape-gardeners seem to have put 

 a higher value on the lake or fishpond than on 

 the brook as an ornament to the garden; but 

 while we allow that many places are enhanced 

 in beauty and dignity by a broad expanse of 

 water, many pictures might be formed by taking 

 advantage of a brook as it meanders through 

 woody glade or meadow. No such beauty is 

 afforded by a pond or lake, which gives us 

 water in repose — imprisoned water, in fact; and 

 although we obtain breadth by confining water, 

 still in many cases we prefer the brook as it 

 ripples between mossy rocks or flower-fringed 

 banks. The brook-margin offers opportunities 

 to lovers of hardy flowers which few other situa- 

 tions can rival." — {W. Robinson.) [f. m.] 



