SUGGESTED GROUPINGS IN FLORICULTURE

In order to facilitate the selection of plants for various-sized water gardens a few suggestions will be given.

The small tub garden may be placed at the base of a rock wall with irises, rockcress, sedums, Cerastium tomentosum, Festuca glauca, Phlox subulata, Veronica rupestris, and others forming the ground covering next to the tub. The container itself may be planted with many combinations such as one giant arrow head, one waterlily, one water hyacinth,7one umbrella fern, one water- lettuce, and one parrotfeather or eel grass. The umbrella plant may be either in a pot or planted directly in the soil. Other plants may be substituted, but the number should not be increased materially, as each plant needs a chance to develop properly.

A pool 4 ft. wide and 6 ft. long may be arranged as follows: If it is to be seen from all sides, a center group of tall-growing plants will be effective. Papyrus or umbrella plants may be used for this purpose, with a group of lotuses near by. Height should be secured also at the corners. Giant arrowhead, irises, pickerel grass, and papyrus may be placed there to advantage. In the open spaces water lilies and various floating plants will produce the desired effect. Open water should show here and there. If a pool is backed against a grouping of shrubs, height should be stressed at that end. Thales and papyrus will serve well under such conditions.

Larger pools and those of formal settings may have to be planted to correspond to the surroundings. When the latter are informal, many miscellaneous plants are desirable; but under formal conditions, where the pool's edges are to be seen, low- growing plants are to be preferred. Lilies should predominate.