6 NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
THE GARDEN FOUNTAIN 
By Mary Harrod Northend 
INCE it appeals not only to the eye, but also to 
the ear, the fountain is usually the chief at- 
traction of any garden. While the pergola, 
the garden seat, and the sundial are all pleas- 
ing to the eye, they serve no further purpose; a fountain 
is fully as beautiful to see, and possesses a further charm 
in the musical tinkle of its falling waters. Both sight 
and sound of water convey a delightful impression of 
coolness, upon a sultry day. 
What can give to a 
garden a more vivid 
touch of charm than a 
fountain or a_ small 
pool, which reflects up- 
on its quiet suriace the 
beauty of blue sky or 
snowy cloud, of sum- 
mer blossom or autumn 
leaf? Lowell’s _ poeti- 
eal deseription of a 
fountain, ‘‘leaping and 
flashing,’’ was true to 
nature In its con- 
stant eclange of form 
and color, it seems as 
truly a living thing as 
the setting of flowers 
wiieh enhance its 
beauty. It has all 
the changeful  iovli- 
ness that marks the 
floral treasures, but is 
less perishable and 
evanescent than they. 
Let us first consider 
the conventional treat- ENT 
ment necessary, where the water supply is limited, and 
the problem of its application becomes more difficult. 
Since some set form must now be chosen, it is one of 
paramount importance that the selection be properly 
made, as the choice of one too elaborate, too grotesque, 
or too ugly is sure to detract from the final effect. 
Other matters are to be considered. The  stereo- 
typed Italian fountain belongs in an Malian garden; or 
at least, it is out of place in any but a very formal gar- 
den or a park. In the same way, a Greek fountain 
would be unsuitable upon a rough hillside, where Na- 
ture has been merely supplemented by art, and where 
the watery element in the landscape ought consistent- 
ly to be confined to cascades, rustie bridges, and lily- 
ponds. All these considerations are simply matters of 
good taste. An artistic eye will perceive at once, with- 
out special training on the subject, that spouts and 
waterfalls belong to the rustic garden as truly as 
Italian statuary, oil jars, and ornamental urns, belong 
to the Italian garden. It will also be readily seen that 
a high, fine stream of water, and a cloud of spray is 
of great beauty when seen at the end of a vine-shaded 
pergola or a vista of trees; while low shrubs and flow- 
«ing plants about the fountains are more appropriate 
to a lower stream and a broader dome. 
Kspecially where the pool connected with the foun- 
tain is a large one, the effect of alternating shade and 
NORTH SHORE FOUNTAIN 
sunshine upon the water will be found pleasing. Near- 
ness of trees has its drawbacks, however, as does every 
other good thing, by the law of compensation. The 
falling leaves mar the surface of the water an clog 
the outlet, making necessary the frequent cleaning of 
the basin, especially in autumn. . ; 
As the fountain is merely an accessory, and the 
beauty of the falling water constitutes the real charia 
of the affair, the conventional form may be as simple 
or as elaborate 
__.. taste approves and our 
4 purse will supply. The 
' basin, which is usually 
of conerete or terra 
cotta, must be deep 
as our — 
| 
| 
; 
enough to hold the tubs — 
or boxes for the water 
hhes, if the fountain is 
to be used in connec-. 
tion with a water gar- 
den. Its size and 
shape thus depend upon 
local conditions. 
may be from two to 
three feet deep, and is 
of a rounded shape. It 
is best to have the sides 
sloped outward, as they 
extend upward, like 
the ordinary wooden 
water-bucket, in order 
cracked by the frost. 
ae: ; It must also rest upon 
a solid foundation, which extends below frost-line in 
winter, if you would guard against cracks and leaks. A 
simple concrete basin, for a spray fountain, costs about 
one hundred dollars. 
Tron, though not so artistic a material, is much 
cheaper and is more easily placed. Iron fountains are 
manufactured and kept in stock, and can be bought at 
prices varying from ten dollars to ten thousand. One 
quite fine enough for all ordinary purposes can be pro- 
cured for fifty dollars. Of course, stone fountains are 
much more expensive than iron or concrete. If stoue 
is used for both fountain and basin, the very simplest 
form would cost one hundred dollars, and there is no 
limit to how much a stone fountain can be made to cost. 
One of the prettiest treatments of this subject is the 
garden pond, treated in a natural manner. If your coun- 
try home is fortunate enough to have a brook upon the 
estate, this can easily be led, by a series of cascades, to 
this basin, properly situated, and the outflow ean be 
regulated by means of a pipe. Do not hesitate on ac- 
count of mosquitoes. They will not hatch in the run- 
ning water of the cascades; and if you put a few fish 
and frogs into your pool, they will take care of all the 
what we might call its — 
Its 
to prevent their being 
wrigglers, before ever these little pests can turn into ~ 
mosquitoes. 
In the pool, much the prettiest formation for the 
edge is to let the grass grow quite down to the water’s 
