Water Gardens Under Glass 
By S. LEONARD BASTIN 
W ITHOUT hesitation it may be said that one 
of the most remarkable introductions of 
modern times in the horticultural world 
has been the advent of the water garden. Our fore¬ 
fathers seem to have cared but little for this particular 
form of the gentle art, for it is only within recent 
years that any amount of attention has been called 
to the large number of beautiful and interesting 
plants which flourish in or on the margin of lakes, 
ponds and rivers. To-day the world is being ran¬ 
sacked for treasures to supply the needs of the water 
gardeners of America and Europe, and the amount of 
splendid ma¬ 
terial which is 
procurable 
should encour¬ 
age all those 
who have it in 
their power to 
engage in this 
delightful hor¬ 
ticultural pas¬ 
time. 
The interest 
aroused in out- 
door water 
gardens has 
drawn atten¬ 
tion to the pos¬ 
sibilities which 
lie i n t h e c a r- 
rying out of 
the same idea 
under glass. 
Of course for 
years we have 
been fa mil ia r 
with the cemented basin containing gold fish which 
was a feature of almost every fernery, but these at 
their best were unattractive and as about opposed to 
natural effect as anything could w T ell be. Yet this 
is not as it should be, for with a certain amount of 
arrangement it is possible to have as pleasant a water 
garden under glass as has ever been devised in the 
open. In more ways than one such a garden is in¬ 
tensely interesting, for most of the exotic aquatics 
are very striking plants. All the tender water species 
revel in a warm, humid atmosphere, and generally 
speaking they require stove treatment. Neverthe¬ 
less there are a number of half hardy species and in¬ 
deed some of the hardy varieties as well, which succeed 
well under greenhouse culture. 
Indoor water gardens may he divided into two 
kinds: those which are really nothing more than 
tanks raised up so that the level of the water is several 
feet from the ground, and, on the other hand, those 
which are arranged as pools in the floor of the house 
with suitable rockwork to give a natural effect. Re¬ 
cently some growers have taken to growing aquatics 
in tanks set in frames, and this class of plants is culti¬ 
vated with great success in some famous establish¬ 
ments. Generally speaking the most satisfactory 
results are obtained from water gardens constructed 
in the form of tanks. Of course these are not so pleas¬ 
ant or so natural in appearance as those in which 
the water is at 
the ground 
level, but water 
so low down as 
this in a house 
is really too far 
away from the 
glass f o r t h e 
successful cul¬ 
tivation of 
w'ater lilies, 
w h i c h plants 
require every 
ray of sunshine 
that can be 
allowed them. 
The construc¬ 
tion of a tank 
for the cultiva¬ 
tion of water 
lilies and other 
tender aquatics 
is not a very 
difficult matter. 
It may be of 
any size, and for the comfort of those whose space 
is limited it may be mentioned many species of 
nymphceas have been grown with success in wash¬ 
ing tubs. Of course the larger tanks must be con¬ 
structed of brick, and it is desirable that these should 
be strongly built. It is also advisable that such a 
tank should be in an open position in the house where 
the full effects of the light will be experienced. The 
most suitable depth for such a tank is from eighteen 
inches up to two feet; it should scarcely be less than 
the former. As for the tender aquatics, the up-keep 
of the water temperature is essential, sufficient piping 
must be in the water to impart to it a degree of 
warmth which is never less than fifty degrees even 
during the winter resting period, whilst when the 
plants are in growth the temperature may he as much 
Wonderfully pretty effects may be constructed in the indoor water garden by an 
arrangement of rocks and semi-aquatic plants 
