THE GROWING OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
THE CLASSES OF PLANTS, AND
LISTS - Continued
Usually the ponds or tanks are not cement lined. In some soils a simple
excavation will hold water, but it is usually necessary to give the
tank some kind of lining. Clay is often used. The bottom and sides of
the tank are pounded firm, and then covered with 3 to 6 in. of clay,
which has been kneaded in the hands, or pounded and worked in a box.
Handfuls or shovelfuls of the material are thrown forcibly upon the
earth, the operator being careful not to walk upon the work. The clay is
smoothed by means of a spade or maul, and it is then sanded.
The water for the lily pond may be derived from a brook, spring, well,
or a city water supply. The plants will thrive in any water that is used
for domestic purposes. It is important that the water does not become
stagnant and a breeding place for mosquitoes. There should be an outlet
in the nature of a stand-pipe, that will control the depth of water. It
is not necessary that the water run through the pond or tank rapidly,
but only that a slow change take place. Sometimes the water is allowed
to enter through a fountain-vase, in which water plants (such as
parrot's feather) may be grown (Plate X).
In all ponds, a foot or 15 in. is sufficient depth of water to stand
above the crowns of the plants; and the greatest depth of water should
not be more than 3 ft. for all kinds of water-lilies. Half this depth is
often sufficient. The soil should be 1 to 2 ft. deep, and very rich. Old
cow manure may be mixed with rich loam. For the nympheas or
water-lilies, 9 to 12 in. of soil is sufficient. Most of the foreign
water-lilies are not hardy, but some of them may be grown with ease if
the pond is covered in winter.
Roots of hardy water-lilies may be planted as soon as the pond is clear
of frost, but the tender kinds (which are also to be taken up in the
fall) should not be planted till it is time to plant out geraniums. Sink
the roots into the mud so that they are just buried, and weight them
down with a stone or clod. The nelumbium, or so-called Egyptian lotus,
should not be transplanted till growth begins to show in the roots in
the spring. The roots are cleaned of decayed parts and covered with
about 3 in. of soil. A foot or so of water is sufficient for lotus
ponds. The roots of Egyptian lotus must not freeze. The roots of all
water-lily-like plants should be frequently divided and renewed.
With hardy aquatics, the water and roots are allowed to remain naturally
over winter. In very cold climates, the pond is protected by throwing
boards over it and covering with hay, straw, or evergreen boughs. It is
well to supply an additional depth of water as a further protection.
As a landscape feature, the pond should have a background, or setting,
and its edges should be relieved, at least on sides and back, by
plantings of bog plants. In permanent ponds of large size, plantings of
willows, osiers, and other shrubbery may set off the area to advantage.
Many of the wild marsh and pond plants are excellent for marginal
plantings, as sedges, cat-tail, sweet-flag (there is a striped-leaved
form), and some of the marsh grasses. Japanese iris makes an excellent
effect in such places. For summer planting in or near ponds, caladium,
umbrella-plant, and papyrus are good.
If there is a stream, "branch," or "run" through the place, it may often
be made one of the most attractive parts of the premises by colonizing
bog plants along it.
Rockeries, and alpine plants.
A rockery is a part of the place in which plants are grown in pockets
between rocks. It is a flower-garden conception rather than a landscape
feature, and therefore should be at one side or in the rear of the
premises. Primarily, the object of using the rocks is to provide better
conditions in which certain plants may grow; sometimes the rocks are
employed to hold a springy or sloughing bank and the plants are used to
cover the rocks; now and then a person wants a rock or a pile of stones
in his yard, as another person would want a piece of statuary or a
sheared evergreen. Sometimes the rocks are natural to the place and
cannot well be removed; in this case the planning and planting should be
such as to make them part of the picture.
The real rock-garden, however, is a place in which to grow plants. The
rocks are secondary. The rocks should not appear to be placed for
display. If one is making a collection of rocks, he is pursuing geology
rather than gardening.
Yet many of the so-called rock-gardens are mere heaps of stones, placed
where it seems to be convenient to pile stones rather than where the
stones may improve conditions for the growing of plants.
The plants that will naturally grow in rock pockets are those requiring
a continuous supply of root moisture and a cool atmosphere. To place a
rockery on a sand bank in the burning sun is therefore entirely out of
character.
Rock-garden plants are those of cool woods, of bogs, and particularly of
high mountains and alpine regions. It is generally understood that a
rock-garden is an alpine-garden, although this is not necessarily so.
In this country alpine-gardening is little known, largely because of our
hot dry summers and falls. But if one has a rather cool exposure and an
unfailing water supply, he may succeed fairly well with many of the
alpines, or at least with the semi-alpines.
Most of the alpines are low and often tufted plants, and bloom in a
spring temperature. In our long hot seasons, the alpine-garden may be
expected to be dormant during much of the summer, unless other
rock-loving plants are colonized in it. Alpine plants are of many kinds.
They are specially to be found in the genera arenaria, silene,
diapensia, primula, saxifraga, arabis, aubrietia, veronica, campanula,
gentiana. They comprise a good number of ferns and many little heaths.
A good rock-garden of any kind does not have the stones piled merely on
the surface; they are sunken well into the ground and are so placed that
there are deep chambers or channels that hold moisture and into which
roots may penetrate. The pockets are filled with good fibrous
moisture-holding earth, and often a little sphagnum or other moss is
added. It must then be arranged so that the pockets never dry out.
Rock-gardens are usually failures, because they violate these very
simple elementary principles; but even when the soil conditions and
moisture conditions are good, the habits of the rock plants must be
learned, and this requires thoughtful experience. Rock-gardens cannot be
generally recommended.
1. PLANTS FOR CARPET-BEDS
(By Ernest Walker)
The beauty of the carpet-bed lies largely in its unity, sharp contrast
and harmony of color, elegance--often simplicity--of design, nicety of
execution, and the continued distinctness of outline due to scrupulous
care. A generous allowance of green-sward on all sides contributes
greatly to the general effect,--in fact it is indispensable.
Whatever place is chosen for the bed, it should be in a sunny exposure.
This, nor any kind of bed, should not be planted near large trees, as
their greedy roots will rob the soil not only of its food, but of
moisture. The shade also will be a menace. As the plants stand so thick,
the soil should be well enriched, and spaded at least a foot deep. In
planting, a space of at least six inches must be left between the outer
row of plants and the edge of the grass. The very style of the bed
requires that lines be straight, the curves uniform, and that they be
kept so by the frequent and careful use of the shears. During dry
periods watering will be necessary. The beds, however, should not be
watered in the hot sunshine. Foliage plants are most in use, and are the
ones which will prove the most satisfactory in the hands of the
inexperienced, as they submit to severe clipping and are thus more
easily managed.
The following list will be helpful to the beginner. It embraces a
number of the plants in common use for carpet-bedding, although not all
of them. The usual heights are given in inches. This, of course, in
different soils and under different treatment is more or less a variable
quantity. The figures in parentheses suggest in inches suitable
distances for planting in the row when immediate effects are expected. A
verbena in rich soil will in time cover a circle three feet or more in
diameter; other plants mentioned spread considerably; but when used in
the carpet-bed, they must be planted close. One cannot wait for them to
grow. The aim is to cover the ground at once. Although planted thick in
the row, it will be desirable to leave more room between the rows in
case of spreading plants like the verbena. Most of them, however, need
little if any more space between the rows than is indicated by the
figures given. In the list those plants that bear free clipping are
marked with *:
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