Glendale Flower and Water Gardens 
1260 Justin Avenue, Glendale, California 
Cultural Directions for Water Lilies 
The fundamentals for a well balanced, clear pond are: 
1. —A pond eighteen inches deep, made of concrete or clay 
earth. 
2. —Plenty of sunlight and warmth, especially California 
sunshine. 
3. —Cow fertilizer and earth in the bottom of the pond. 
4. —Water lilies, oxygenating moss and plants. 
5. —Goldfish to eliminate mosquitoes. 
6. —Water snails for scavengers. 
POOL CONSTRUCTION 
Laying Out Pool —It is very simple and inexpensive to construct 
a pool. An irregular pool may be made any area that your 
fancy suggests; however, keep the depth eighteen to twenty 
inches. 
It is a good idea to slant the sides when you dig out the 
hole, packing and smoothing the dirt with a trowel; in fact, 
make a pool out of dirt which gives you a chance to make a 
change if you wish. 
Level the top by starting at one side with a level and going 
completely around the pool and, of course, if you come out 
even you have done a good job of leveling; if not, you had 
better try again. 
Mixing Concrete—You are now ready to mix your concrete. 
First place three wheelbarrow loads of plaster sand in your 
mixing box, then one sack of regular cement and if you wish 
the blue cast use one-half pound of lamp black. Mix the 
entire amount back and forth, three or four times, with a 
hoe. After which add water and mix until it is about the 
consistency of putty. 
Cover the dirt pool you have made with the concrete two to 
three inches thick, smoothing well with your trowel. Make the 
top first, then the outside, then the inside sides and last the 
bottom; try to complete the inside in one day, if possible. 
Painting—Let the pool stand for twenty-four hours, after which 
paint with cement, lamp black and water mixed to a con¬ 
sistency of a good house paint, with a wide brush; let stand 
for a day. 
Drainage—We seldom use drains but if they are desired use one 
or two-inch galvanized pipe and bring pipe up to top of water 
Tropical FJymphaea William Stone 
level; the pipe which extends from the bottom of the pool 
to the top of the water should not be fitted together too 
tightly as in draining you will want to remove it. Run the 
pipe to a low spot or make an excavation near the pool wall¬ 
ing up with brick or concrete. Most pools are drained by 
hose siphon. Fill hose with water, place one end of hose in 
pool and the other on the low side of pool and it will drain 
rapidly. 
Wire Construction in Pool—If you wish to place chicken wire 
in your pool place the wire on the bottom and sides and as 
you trowel the cement pull it up a little so that it will be in 
the center of the cement. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 
Fertilizer and Soil—Place two inches of well rotted cow fertilizer 
on the bottom of the pool, four inches of garden soil on top 
of the fertilizer and one inch of plaster sand on top of the 
soil; dampen and tamp down hard. 
Running Water—Running water is not necessary but a whirling 
sprinkler set near the pool once a day, in the evening, will 
improve the freshness of the pool. 
Insects—Aphis that attack the leaves may be washed off with 
a hose so that the fish may eat them. 
Algae—Algae is eaten by snails which should be used in num¬ 
bers. Lily pads also reduce the Algae to a minimum, as they 
will shade the surface of the water. 
Food—A balanced ground food may be fed three times a week 
to fish but not more than will be eaten in fifteen minutes. 
Winter Care—Winter care outside of southern states—Hardy 
roots may be left in pools, covered with leaves, straw and 
boards for protection. They may be taken up in their boxes 
and placed in the cellar and kept moist over winter. Tropical 
lilies may be placed in tubs of water and dirt in a warm cel¬ 
lar or kept as growing plants in a greenhouse. 
Arrowhead Giant 
together with both 
Tropical and Hardy 
Lilies 
Page IS 
