The term “water garden” indicates the culture of water and bog plants. This uninspired definition fails to give the gardener a picture of the lily pool as a cool, enchanting addition to the garden.
True, the art of water gardening is just now recovering from the influence of the Victorian era in which a garden pool was an unsightly cavity situated in an unlikely spot with no thought to setting or design.
The Popularity of Indoor Aquariums
The popularity of indoor aquariums hastened the recuperation of the outdoor lily pool because the aquarium fancier was quick to realize what was wrong with his pool—it wasn’t balanced.
The plant life wasn’t being handled properly, causing fish to die and algae to form. Some rules for a successful water garden begin with the location and construction of the pool itself.
Lilies do not grow in the shade. Remember this when you choose the location for your pool, but also remember to give it a prominent setting because it is a natural focal point.
Idea Pool Depth for Water Garden
The ideal pool depth is 24″ inches. After deciding upon the size and shape, dig out the soil to a depth of 2′ feet and level the floor.
Shave the side walls as near perpendicular as possible since walls that slope waste space and gather algae as well.
Tamp the walls and floor, and reinforce both with fencing wire. Using gravel in the concrete mixture will be unnecessary if the wire is used for reinforcement.
Concrete Lining For The Pool
The proper mixture for the concrete lining is one part cement and five parts sand. Add enough water to make a stiff dough-like mixture that will adhere to the wire. The concrete should be 4” inches thick for all but the coldest climates.
You need not install a drain in the pool. If the pool is properly balanced, draining once each spring is necessary.
Merely purchase an inexpensive brass fitting for the garden hose and drain the pool by siphoning. After hardening the concrete, fill the pool with water and let it stand for a day.
Drain and fill again, and add one quart of vinegar to neutralize the alkaline in the concrete so the pool will be safe for fish. Drain and fill once more, and your pool is ready to plant.
What Water Lilies To Plant
Water lilies are available in varied colors, sizes, and shapes, but most of us are limited because of the space each lily requires.
Do not crowd your pool. Remember, the reflections of dawn and sunset, of storm clouds and summer skies, are part of a pool’s charm.
A white night-blooming tropical lily is a must if the pool is located near your patio. The immense blooms will add the stars to the moon’s reflection in the water.
Winter-Hardy Lilies
The winter-hardy lilies can remain in the pool year after year, but the delicate tropical should be regarded as annuals except in a Southern climate.
A hardy water lily root of medium size requires a bushel of soil, with eight to ten inches of water over the crown of the plant.
Tropical lilies require slightly less soil and water coverage. I have found that five-gallon galvanized buckets make good planting tubs.
I use a rich garden loam and add a handful of commercial water lily fertilizer twice a season.
Hardy Water Lilies
Hardy water lilies should be planted horizontally with the crown well out of the soil. Tropical lilies should be planted upright and at the same depth they grew before shipment.
An inch of coarse sand sifted over the soil surface of the planting tub will prevent soil from washing away and discoloring the water.
Bog plants grow in shallow water and send their leaves and blossoms above the surface.
They are often used as centerpieces or in the corners of the pool. You may choose from a wide variety, such as umbrella palm, Japanese arrowhead, and Hawaiian taro.
Growing Pygmae Cattail
I have been growing Pygmae cattail for two years because I love to see the tall, slender leaves reflected in the water and use the tiny cattails in flower arrangements.
Until two weeks ago, no amount of tender care would induce my cattails to have kittens. But now I find that small, fuzzy kittens appear among the stems, so success is mine.
What’s Necessary for a Lily Pool
Goldfish, snails, and oxygenating grasses are also necessary for a lily pool. The fish will regularly clear the mosquito larvae pool every evening like a clock.
They are fascinating to watch as they rise to the surface and are over a floating insect, as do trout in a mountain lake.
Snails are the scavengers of the pool, unobtrusively going about their business of keeping the walls and floor of the pool clean.
When my pool was completed four years ago, I bought a dozen snails and have never found it necessary to replenish the supply.
Oxygenating Grasses
Oxygenating grasses are best planted in sandy soil in clay pots resting on the pool floor. They supply oxygen to the fish and keep the water sweet and clear.
Once your pool’s actual construction and planting are completed, it is guaranteed to become the center of attraction in your garden.
This is the spot where you will steal a tranquil hour, contemplating the cloud reflections broken by the glint of a goldfish, enjoying the serenity which comes in watching a water lily silently unfold to reveal its golden heart.
44659 by Barbara Hyde