Orn;i mon i «■ I 
Pools 
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LAWNS 
AND GARDENS 
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EASY TO Kill TO 
Ornamental pools are a never-ending source of delight. From early spring 
until late in fall, your garden pool sets a beautiful stage for enjoyment of 
colorful fish and aquatic plants. The ornamental pool is the center of enjoy¬ 
ment in your “ourdoor living room.” 
Designing the Pool 
The general character of your garden—whether it is formal, or informal in a natural 
setting—will suggest the style. 
Small species of water lilies require only a small pool—three feet or more in diameter. 
Larger varieties must have a pool at least six feet wide. Depth depends upon the 
type of planting. For water lilies, a depth of at least 22 inches is desirable. 
Garden pools may be combined with rock gardens, often with a miniature waterfall 
running down a rocky course into the pool. 
Building the Pool 
Excavate to the required depth including the thickness of the floor. Pools with 
vertical sides are built with forms. If the soil is firm, no outside form is needed. 
Pools with sloping sides often are built by “plastering” a stiff concrete in place. 
Wire mesh reinforcement is used. Natural rock may be set in the concrete. 
Pools having curved or irregular shaped walls are made with forms of 20 gauge 
galvanized iron, readily bent to the desired shape. 
Reinforcement 
Reinforcement should be used as shown in the accompanying drawings, 
floor and walls in one operation to avoid construction joints. 
Support the interior wall forms across the top of the excavation so 
that the bottom hangs six inches from the bottom of the pit. Spread¬ 
ers, or braces, extending across the pool from one form to the other, 
prevent bulging when the forms are filled with concrete. 
Making the Concrete 
Strong, durable, watertight concrete is easily made. Most impor¬ 
tant is the amount of water used per sack of cement. 
Use about 1 1 to 5 gallons of water per sack. 
The correct mix (determined by a trial batch) should be plastic, 
holding its shape well, but not crumbly. If too stiff, use slightly less 
Place the 
sand and gravel; if “runny,” add sand and gravel until the proper proportion 
is obtained. 
1. Make a dry mix of about 1 part portland cement, 2 parts clean sharp 
sand, 2 l /2 to 3 parts clean gravel. Mix thoroughly until the color is uniform - 
no gray or brown streaks. 
2. Add correct amount of water and mix until sand and pebbles are thor¬ 
oughly coated with cement paste. 
The concrete should be placed within 30 minutes. 
Placing the Concrete 
Oil the inside of the forms so that concrete will not stick to them. First place 
the concrete for the floors. Then deposit the concrete for the walls in 6 or !f-inch 
layers all around the pool, spading each layer as it is placed. A garden hoe, 
straightened out, makes a good spading tool. 
Often, pools are built partly above grade. A foundation two or three feet 
deep should be used. 
Curing 
Do not permit newly placed concrete to dry out 
Protect it from sun and drying wind for a week to 10 days. A covering of 
burlap or canvas, sprinkled often enough to keep it moist, is a satisfactory 
covering while curing. 
The .Miuisiflire Pool or Tull <»ar«lon 
The most inexpensive is the tub garden. Not much room is needed—only 
fhree or four feet square makes a very nice, small water garden. Choose a 
sunny spot and sink a wash tub or half barrel in the ground. Two or three 
tubs are sometimes grouped together filling in the space with perennials or rock 
plants. The tub should be filled w ith five or six inches of good garden loam with 
a big handful of commercial fertilizer well mixed in. \t intervals of three weeks 
a spoonful of fertilizer added to each plant will tend to produce more blossoms. 
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