366 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A crowded water-garden is often a matter of necessity ; but where space 

 is at command the plants are best in bold groups, and far enough apart, 

 to keep them quite distinct, while allowing for effective contrast in colour. 

 All the Marliacea section, being of strong growth, together with similar 

 strong-growing kinds, should be placed in the deepest water, but should 

 not be put so far out that their beauty cannot be seen from the margin of 

 the pond or lake. Drawing nearer to the margin, where the water will 

 naturally be a little more shallow, we may plant the Laydckeri section, 

 and some of the American hybrids, which will be admirably suited for 

 this position ; and for planting nearest to the margin we have the lovely 

 odorata section and the pygmaea forms. 



To give a list and description of the Nymphaeas in cultivation at the 

 present day would occupy far too much time and space. They are 

 accurately described by those who make a speciality of them. But a few 

 might be mentioned, which stand out above all others. The first is 

 N. gloriosa, which is beyond doubt a grand variety, rich carmine red in 

 colour, with abundance of bright orange stamens, and the only Nymphaea 

 with five sepals. N. Marliacea chromatella and N. odorata sulphurea are 

 still the best yellow-flowered varieties we possess ; Ellisiana, atropurpurea, 

 sanguinea, and 1 William Falconer ' are some of our best dark-flowered 

 varieties ; and for rich rosy-crimson we have ' James Brydon,' quite one of 

 the best American varieties ; lucida and Bobinsonii are also good in 

 this shade of colour ; of white-flowered varieties there is none better 

 than Gladstoniana and Marliacea albida. The odorata section, of 

 which rosacea, rubra, and exquisita are some of the best-known, are 

 all sweetly scented. The last-named section will soon deteriorate if 

 confined in small tanks, and I have sometimes heard of failures with it 

 under such conditions, which can only be attributed to confinement. 

 The odorata section is easily distinguished from all others, as the varieties 

 have long wiry-looking rhizomes, or root-stocks, sometimes measuring 

 4 or 5 feet in length. Where space can be found for them to grow 

 freely on the bottom of large or medium-sized ponds, they are bound to 

 succeed. 



Although Nymphaeas are naturally sun-loving plants, yet I have 

 always noticed that the water-garden is seen at its loveliest on dull, 

 showery days, when the water is clear, and the leaves and flowers are 

 thickly set with diamond drops that glisten and sparkle like rubies, 

 topaz, and garnets. The flowers vary as to opening and closing, and 

 while on bright days, in the beginning of the season, they open in early 

 morning and, unless the weather is dull, mostly close about three or four 

 o'clock in the afternoon, as the season advances just the reverse takes 

 place ; they open later in the day, and sometimes keep open even into the 

 early mooi.ljght of a summer's night. The varieties also differ as to 

 earliness and length of season. Alba rosea is always one of the first 

 to flower, but soon goes to rest ; this is followed by the Laydekeri 

 section, all of which are good ; for not only do they begin early, but keep 

 on flowering all the summer, and as late as any in autumn. Laydekeri 

 rosea prolif era, lately introduced by Mr. Perry, is one of the best of this 

 section, and quite bears out its name. Colossea, quite the giant of all 

 Marliac's hybrids, together with Gladstoniana, Bobinsonii, gloriosa and 



