THE GARDENS OF NEWPORT 



323 



bery and trees, bordered by bulbous plants and 

 showy annuals, as seen in the illustration. The 

 group contains some well formed specimens of coni- 

 fers, mostly spruces, behind which is a collection 

 of deciduous trees extending nearly to the house. 

 In front of the evergreens, and facing the street, 

 may be seen a showy collection of annuals especially 

 adapted to the situation. The carriage-way, which 

 extends entirely around this group, is bordered, first, 

 by a line mostly of lobelias and pansies ; then come 

 geraniums, marigolds, scabiosas, chrysanthemums, 

 etc., of various forms and colors. The larger 

 flowers shown are specimens of the golden banded 

 lily, L. aiiratum, and the white lily, L. candidiDii. 

 These rise above 

 those in front and 

 blend beautifully 

 with the wall of 

 green against 

 which they are 

 banked. The col- 

 lection is so ar- 

 ranged that the 

 border is never 

 dull, whilethe con- 

 slant succession 

 of flowers affords 

 a freshness to the 

 picture, whenever 

 viewed, from 

 spring to autumn. 



One of the spe- 

 cial features of in- 

 terest in these 

 grounds is the cul- 

 ture of the hardy 

 aquatics, in com- 

 bination with 

 shrubs, perennials 

 and annuals. At 



a little distance from the house is an artificial 

 lily pond, sixty feet in length and ten in width, 

 with walled banks and granite copings (see page 

 326). This is bordered on all sides by a strip of 

 closely shaven grass five feet wide, which, in turn, is 

 surrounded by another strip eight feet wide de- 

 voted to foliage and flowering plants, making a plat 

 thirty' six by one hundred feet in its total dimensions. 

 These water lilies, of which there are many species 

 and varieties grown in Newport, are found through- 

 out the whole northern hemisphere, a few appear- 

 ing also south of the equator. The name nymphiea 

 was applied because of their growth in water, thus 

 connecting them with the fabled water nymphs of 



antiquity. They all have thick, tuberous roots, with 

 a tender stem extending from the soft and porous 

 bottom to the surface, where the large, cordate 

 leaves attached float upon the water. The flowers 

 are also large and showy, consisting of four sepals 

 and numerous petals. They are of many colors — 

 white, pink, yellow and blue. Nearly all the spe- 

 cies are of easy cultivation, and come to perfection 

 with but little care, when once provided with the 

 proper conditions. The species most largely culti- 

 vated here is the Old World white lily, Nymphaa 

 alba ; it is one of the largest and best known of all. 

 The flowers are often six inches or more in diam- 

 eter, white and almost or cpiite without fragrance. 



A Circular Wall of Shrubbery and Trees — Entrance to Mr. Rogers place. 



There is a variety of the species, N. rosea, much 

 the same in its general characteristics, except that 

 the blossoms are rose color. It is grown in this 

 pond in connection with the original, and makes a 

 pretty contrast. There is cause to doubt the super- 

 iority of this foreign plant, however, over our Amer- 

 ican pond lily, so common in our ponds and partially 

 stagnant streams. This, N. odorafa, has the ad- 

 vantage of being delightfully fragrant, as well as 

 exceedingly beautiful, and by many it is preferred 

 to all others. Its petals are creamy white, usually 

 tinted with pink, and in some of the ponds in the 

 vicinity of Cape Cod and in Rhode Island there is a 

 variety in which the whole flower is pink. These 



