234 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
March 19, .1904. 
Bog and Water Gardens. 
Hardy aquatics are amongst the most interesting subjects in 
plant life, and should be cultivated wherever there are facilities 
for doing so 1 , and if the walks leading to, and edges, and adjacent 
ground are man ted with suitable subjects, a pleasing effect is 
the result in that it breaks up the formal outlines, inseparable 
from ponds madej for the accommodation of this glass of plant. 
Assuming that Apcmogeton distachyon occupies the central 
position, and nearer the edge the hardy Nymphaeas, there is 
still room to 1 plant such things as Ranunculus Lingua, Iris 
Pseudacorus, I. P. variegata., Sagittaria sagittifolia, S. japonica, 
the double-flowering Arrowhead, species of Scirpus, etc. These 
require no basketing and placing ini position,; all that is re- 
required is to roll them up in a fairly heavy turf, tie securely, 
and drop them in where they are wanted. 
Rather wide shallow tremchesi, just deep enough to hold about 
4 in. of water, may branch out from the central pond in; differ¬ 
ent directions and be terminated by one or more what I propose 
to call aquatic beds, always remembering to start with the 
beds first, and working towards the centre pond with your 
trench, ascertaining beforehand with a> straight edge and spirit 
level, the water-line from the pond to the beds. This does 
away with bricks and mortar, drain pipes and the like objection¬ 
able things at all times. When about 2 ft. away from the pond 
with the trenches the beds may be made up 1 with soil suitable 
for the subject it is proposed to plant them with ; and when 
due allowance is made for the depth of water required, all being 
ready for planting, the remaining 2 ft. of soil may be taken 
away and the water let in;. Where the aquatic beds have a poor 
soil it will be necessary to take out at least enough to allow the 
plants to have a foot of good soil. For instance;, a bed is to be 
planted with Iris laevigata. This needs only to be planted on 
the water-line. If the water-line is 6 in. below the ground 
level, 18 in. of soil may be taken out and a foot of good loam 
put in its place. 
Other subjects suitable for the aquatic beds are M. Marliac’s 
hybrid Nymphaeas, Menyanthesi crista,-galli, M. trifoliata, Pon- 
tederia cordata, Lymnocharisi Humboldt!!, Calla! jpalustris, the 
bog Cypripediums, Orchis; latifolia, 0. maculata, Juncus glauca, 
and Juncus spiralis. Juncus Zebrinus, Sarracenias and other 
things that are not any too hardy might have a bed reserved 
for them, and be planted at bedding-out time. The bottom of 
some of the trenches may be planted with Butomus umbellat.us, 
Typhai latifolia, Aoorus Calamus, etc., while Hypericum moiseri- 
anum, Funkias, Heimerocallis, various Iris, Carex pendula, 
Apera arundinacea .and hardy Andrcpogons may clothe the 
banks of others. 
Clumps of hardy Bamboos 1 , Cortaderia, argentea, Spiraeas, 
and Tritomas may be planted with effect on the adjoining 
ground at some distance away, or right down at the water edge. 
Gunnera, scabra, should have a sheltered position. A bed of 
Eremurus robustus, one of Liliums, and allied subjects would 
be quite as acceptable in. a garden of this description, as in the 
flower-garden. 
Beds of Ferns, such asi may be seen in the Sub-tropical 
Gardens in, Battersea Park, single; specimens; of Osmunda re>- 
galis and Phormium tena.x, clumps of Japanese; Maples, etc., 
single plants of such trees as Laburnums', Sophotra, japonica, 
weeping Ash and Willow, and Ailanthus glandulosa, would give 
a character to the scene. 
It may be urged that this sort of thing is expensive, to which 
I would answer: It costs no more to. make than it doe® to 
build a conservatory, which has toi be furnished afterwards and 
daily attention required; nor is it any more expensive than 
sub-tropical gardening or flower gardens generally, and it can 
be. modified or enlarged upon as circumstances require. 
H. Arnold. 
Readers’ Competition.—P articular^ of weeklv prize see 
centre page, 
Watering and its Aids. 
No matter Low badly a plant may be planted in the open 
ground or in pots, it will exist for a time if water is supplied 
to it, while on the other hand no matter liow well planted or 
potted it, may be, if water be; not supplied, its existence will be 
of short duration indeed; so therefore watering, and careful 
watering, is the more important matter. 
But in the successful culture of plants in pots watering is not 
the only one item that young gardeners, aye and old ones, have 
to bear in mind, although’during all stages of a plant’s exist¬ 
ence it must have water. 
Clean drainage, clean pots, pots of proper size and suitable 
compost are all necessary aids to careful watering. I sav 
“ careful watering,” as if water be supplied carelessly the other 
operations are in a sense labour in vain. 
In preparing a; pan or pot for seeds, the supply of drainage is 
the first operation which should be; carefully done, and over it 
a layer of moss or leaves (Oak or Beech) should be placed, and 
on that a rougher compost, finally finishing with a fine soil 
according to smallness of the seed. Very minute seeds, should 
be watered by dipping in preference; to watering overhead ; and 
when; the .seedlings are ready to prick off, a slightly rougher 
and richer compost should be used and made; moderately firm. 
A very good method to firm soil ini pots or boxes for seedlings 
is to firm it with the points of the fingers instead of baking it, 
and when pricking out, the roots, and not the stem, of the plant 
should be firmed. 
As the size of pots increases for the reception, of single plant s 
so must the roughness and richness of the compost, as well as 
the firmness of the potting. Four potting sticks; in as many 
sizes should always be handy by the potting bench. 
Potting is an operation that requires a considerable amount 
of skill in attendance, as while; some plants require moderately 
firm potting, others must be potted hard ; almost as a, rule the 
finer the root the firmer must they be potted. The; hard-potted 
plants require more careful watering than, those potted looser, 
as when once soaked they do; not dry quite so quick ; neverthe¬ 
less, it must be understood that loose-potted plants if over- 
wat'ered( which will be sure to happen if the “ ring ” at the ex¬ 
pense of the knuckles is; the hard and fast rule for the applica¬ 
tion of water) will veiy soon suffer owing to; the soil getting 
soured, or its goodness washed out of it. The former will be 
greatly guarded against by placing moss or leaves over the 
drainage* the latter by actually feeling the soil with a finger. 
The rougher parts of the potting compost often, take the „ 
place of moss or leaves;, but. this I disapprove of, a,s towards 
the end of the batch of soil it is; reduced to too; much of a 
fineness. As a rule, most, plants thrive Well when potbound by 
feeding along with watering. This should be done little and 
often, but by no means should the plant be watered in dribbles. 
Give a, good watering, and if very diy till the pot again, or 
better still, steep, it in, a, pail for a, short time. D'o not dip 
it, in the, tank, or later on, the; reaping may be according to the 
sowing when, watering with a rose-can or using the. syringe. 
Careful watering, drainage, potting, and compost in, the 
matter of successful plant growing should be considered equally 
important. J. R. B. 
Proposed Gardeners’ Association. —At a, meeting of the-> 
Provisional Committee, held on March 9th, it was decided to 
arrange for a, public meeting of gardeners to be held in London 
on the second day of the Temple Show (June 1st), when a scheme 
for a National Association of Professional Gardeners will be 
submitted for approval. Tf was also decided to ask for dona¬ 
tions to enable the committee to print for circulation all over 
the country a pamphlet setting forth the main objects for which 
the association is to be formed and the advantages of co-opera¬ 
tion and registration Donations should he sent to the secretary, 
pro tern ■, W. Watson, Descans,o House, Kew Road, Kew. 
