FUNDAMENTALS OF 

 WATER LILY CULTURE 



By 



L. HELEN FOWLER 



N 



O flowers are easier to 

 grow than Water Lilies 

 and water plants. None 

 equal them in variety of color 

 and perfume. All these beau- 

 tiful sturdy plants need is good 

 rich soil, sunshine, a little fer- 

 tilizer now and then, and a quiet water pool that need not be large or expensive. 

 Locate your water garden in the open sunshine. Water lilies do not thrive in 

 excessive shade. Any size pool will do, and is easy to build by following in- 

 structions on pages 4 and 5. 



In artificial pools the easiest way to plant is in a wooden box. This makes it 

 easy to remove your lilies from the pool to transplant or fertilize. Make boxes 

 about 2'-0" square by l'-0" high. Fill with rich soil, properly fertilized, to 

 within one inch of the top. Plant one lily in each, fill the remainder with sand 

 to prevent the soil from washing away and discoloring the water and the fish 

 from digging around the roots. 



Remember water lilies should be planted so there is never more than from 9" 

 to 12" of water above the crown of the plant. When well established they 

 may run to much deeper water. When box-planting measure the water above 

 the top of the box. Plant marginal plants and sub-aquatics with only then- 

 roots under water, and when used in artifical pools, plant in boxes not more 

 than 6" deep, raised almost to the surface, by mounting on bricks. 

 The best fertilizer is well rotted cow manure ; mix with the soil in the usual 

 proportions. Vigoro, a prepared fertilizer, is very good. Use 1 lb. to a bushel 

 of soil. For established plants, use four heaping teaspoonfuls to each plant, 

 well mixed with the soil around the roots. 



Hardy lilies and fish do better if left in the pool all winter, provided you live 

 where no more than 10" of ice forms. In a colder climate store your plants 

 in their boxes in a cool cellar. Keep the soil only slightly damp and not too 

 warm or the roots may sprout. Lilies and water plants naturally lie dormant 

 all winter. If it is impractical to remove the plants, drain the water and cover 

 the roots with straw and leaves to prevent freezing. 



In any Water Garden a few fish are necessary to eradicate the larvae of the 

 mosquito, and the bright colored fish darting about among the flowers adds 

 enchantment, beauty and interest to your pool. 



THE W. B. SHAW AQUATIC GARDENS 



KENILWORTH, WASHINGTON, D.C 



Six 



