HOW TO BUILD A LILY POOL 
For those of you who are planning to build a pool in your garden, we offer the following useful advice and 
information as to the construction and location and other details necessary for the construction of a pool. 
SHAPE OF THE POOL. This is largely determined by the layout and 
size of your garden. 
Formal pools, which are usually either round, or square, or of 
some symmetrical design, require a formal setting. 
Informal pools are irregular in shape so as to fit the surrounding 
terrain. The informal pool is much more popular than the formal 
pool because, as with the informal garden, it gives you more 
freedom of action, and more expression of individuality, and it 
gives you the delight of creating naturalistic effects. 
SIZE OF THE POOL. The smallest pool is better than no pool at all. 
Water-lilies and other aquatics may be grown in a pool only 
2 feet in diameter, but, as the cost of stocking even a large pool 
is small, we advise you to make your pool as large as your 
garden permits it to be. Also, as the pool is bound to be the 
show place of your garden, you will find the limitations of a 
small pool very annoying. We have heard many customers 
complain about their pool being too small, but never yet has one 
said that his pool was too large. 
LOCATION OF THE POOL. Regardless of the size or shape of your 
pool, be sure, for best results in growing water-lilies, to place it 
where it will receive full sunlight. 
Formal pools are usually out in the center of the lawn where 
they are a part of the general design of the formal garden. 
There are many places in the informal garden where an 
informal pool may be placed such as: The low part of the rock 
garden where they make a wonderful addition to the natural 
setting of the rock garden. Any low part or far end of your 
garden. 
DEPTH OF THE POOL. Two feet is sufficient depth for any size pool 
where the lilies or other aquatics are planted in soil containers. 
For small pools, where it is practicable to cover the bottom of 
the pool with soil instead of using soil containers, a depth of 
from 12 to 18 inches is sufficient. (A pool 2 by 3 feet is con- 
sidered a small pool.) 
CONSTRUCTION OF THE POOL. To build concrete pools with 
straight sides it is necessary to construct a form. The walls of a 
straight sided pool should be at least 6 inches at the top widen- 
ing to 8 inches at the bottom. The bottom of the pool need be 
only 6 inches thick. The sides and bottom should be reinforced 
with iron rods or fairly heavy hog wire netting. For best results 
the concrete mixture for the bottom and sides should be poured 
on the same day. Although it is not impossible to construct pools 
which require forms without technical knowledge, it is advisable 
to let a mason contractor construct pools of this type. 
A pool with sloping sides does not require forms, and it can be 
easily built without any help from a professional. First, lay out 
a garden hose on the ground where you expect to build your 
pool. Shape and form this hose to the size and shape of the 
expected pool. This makes it easier for you to visualize the size 
and shape of the pool after it is completed. Next, excavate the 
soil 6 inches deeper and 6 inches wider than the actual size of 
the pool. The extra 6 inches is to allow for the concrete. Do not 
make the sides too straight; otherwise you will have difficulty 
retaining the concrete mixture when you pour it. It is important 
to dig carefully so that there will be no loose dirt in the exca- 
vation when you are finished digging. Any loose soil on the 
bottom of the excavation will have to be leveled out and 
tamped down. The sides and bottom should be smooth for best 
results in laying the concrete. When excavating, consider the 
manner in which the concrete side walls flare out on the top 
(see figure 1, page 8), so that soil or rocks may be placed on 
top of the concrete walls to hide them from view. 
Do not attempt to incorporate any rocks or large stones, which 
may be jutting out of the ground, into the concrete of the sides 
or bottom; if this is done it will invariably cause leaks. If you 
wish to have rocks in your pool, for soil pockets or ornamental 
effect, lay them after you have poured the concrete. 
It is best to have all of your reinforcing material ready before 
you start. Lay it out and shape it, and know just where you are 
going to put it before you mix the concrete. It is also best before 
mixing the concrete to plan and arrange things so that you 
may finish the whole operation in one day with one continuous 
pouring. The reason for this is that the pool will then be 
constructed as one unit without any joints. 
For a good mixture of concrete, we recommend 1 part of Port- 
land cement, 2 parts of sharp sand, and 3 parts of half inch 
crushed stones. Mix well with water into a rather stiff mixture. 
Apply about 3 inches of this mixture over the bottom and sides 
of the pool. After this, lay your reinforcing material on top of 
the concrete; be sure that it lays flat on the concrete. It is advis- 
able to bend heavy nails and drive them into the concrete to 
hold the reinforcing in place. Next, pour another 3 inches of 
concrete on top of this and level it out well. Do not attempt to 
smooth it; leave it rough. Allow this concrete to set for about 
one or two hours. Then, mix 2 parts of sifted sand and 1 part 
of cement with water; apply this mixture about % to % inch 
thick over the concrete and trowel it out to a smooth finish. 
Before applying this finish, insert a few spikes 3 inches into the 
concrete to serve as anchors for the rocks of intended soil 
pockets. (See figure 1, page 8.) 
DRAIN OF THE POOL. The drains in straight-sided pools may be 
located at one end or in the corner. In pools with sloping sides 
the drain may be in any convenient place at the bottom. In 
either type pool always slope the bottom towards the drain. 
If the drain pipe leading away from the pool should be longer 
than a few yards it is advisable to lead the 1% inch metal pipe 
into a 3 or 4 inch tile pipe which shall prevent the pipe from 
clogging when draining the pool. However, drainage systems 
may be easily dispensed with as you seldom drain your pool 
more than once a year. It is simple to drain a pool which does 
not have a built-in drainage system. To do this, fill a garden 
hose with water; plug both ends tightly with a cork, or a 
nozzle, or any other suitable plug; drop one end into the pool; 
place the other end at some point lower than the bottom of the 
pool and remove the plugs. This will start a syphon which will 
drain the pool. 
FINISHING THE POOL AROUND THE TOP. Bog and Shallow water 
plants are very desirable for natural and artistic effects. These 
plants should not be planted in water as deep as the lilies are 
planted in; therefore pockets should be built near the surface 
of the water to accommodate them. (See figure 1, page 8.) These 
pockets may be made out of rocks to hold soil for the bog plants 
or, as we show in figure 1, page 8, may be made so that a 
flower pot with soil may be set into them. To build these 
pockets use flat rocks, For the bottom rock use a rather wedge 
shaped one. Use the previously mentioned spikes which had 
been placed in the pool when it was being built as anchors 
for these rocks. Use mortar to bind and hold the rocks and to 
cover the spikes with. 
Place some rocks around the very top edge of the pool; or let 
the lawn come right up to the water's edge. (See figure 1, 
page 8.) Plant Forget-Me-Nots where the soil meets the water. 
All of the above mentioned work of finishing the pool around the 
top should not be done on the same day as the concrete is 
poured; however it should be planned for in advance of build- 
ing the pool. 
PREPARING THE NEWLY MADE CONCRETE POOL FOR 
PLANTING. Fill the pool with water as soon as the concrete is 
set; this is usually done about 24 hours after pouring. The first 
time you fill the pool, to prevent injury to the concrete finish, 
place a large piece of strong paper, or cardboard, or any other 
suitable cover on top of the concrete, and slowly run the water 
in on top of the cover. Change the water at least 5 times over a 
period of 2 weeks, or use vinegar as mentioned on page 6. 
Before filling the pool with water the last time, clean the whole 
pool by scrubbing and hosing down the concrete. 
SEE ORDER SHEET FOR PRICES 
JOSEPH LINGG AQUATIC GARDENS, INC. ¢ ARDSLEY, N. Y. 
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