Nearly all landscape gardeners seem to have put a higher value on the lake or fish–pond than on the brook² as an ornament³ to the garden; but, while we allow that many places are enhanced in beauty and dignity, by a broad expanse of water, many pictures might be formed by taking advantage of a brook as it meanders⁴ through woody glade⁵ or meadow. No such beauty is afforded by a pond or lake, which gives us water in repose—imprisoned[68] water, in fact; and although we obtain breadth by confining water, still, in many cases, we prefer the brook, or water in motion, as it ripples⁶ between mossy rocks or flower–fringed banks. The brook–margin⁸, too, offers opportunities to lovers of hardy⁹ flowers which few other situations can rival. Hitherto we have only used in and near such places aquatic¹⁰ or bog¹¹ plants, and of these usually a very meagre selection; but the improvement of the brook–side will be most readily effected by planting the banks with hardy flowers, making it a wild garden, in fact. A great number of our finest herbaceous plants, from Irises¹² to Globe–flowers, thrive best in the moist soil found in such positions; numbers of hardy flowers, also, that do not in nature prefer such soil, would exist in perfect health in it. The wild garden illustrated¹⁴ by the water–side will give us some of the most charming garden pictures. Land plants would have this advantage over water ones, that we could fix their position, whereas water plants are apt to spread everywhere, and sometimes one kind exterminates¹⁵ the rest; therefore it might, in many cases, be better not to encourage the water or water–side vegetation, but to form little colonies of hardy flowers along the banks. The plants, of course, should be such as would grow freely among Grass and take care of themselves. If different types of vegetation were encouraged on each side of the water, the effect would be all the better. The common way of repeating a favourite plant at intervals¹⁶ would spoil all: groups of free hardy things, different in each place as one passed, would be best; Day Lilies; Phloxes, which love moisture; Irises, mainly the beardless kinds, which love wet places, but all the fine Germanica forms will do; Gunnera; Aster¹⁷; American[69] swamp Lilies in peaty or boggy¹⁸ soil; the deep rose–coloured variety of the Loosestrife; Golden Rods; the taller and stouter¹⁹ Bell–flowers (Campanula); the Spider Wort (Tradescantia virginica), of which there are a good many forms, differing in colour; the Broad–leaved Saxifrages; the Compass plants (Silphium); Everlasting²¹ Peas; Monkshood; the Goats Rues²² (Galega); Baptisia; the free–flowering Yuccas; the hardiest²³ flame–flowers (Tritoma); the stouter kinds of Yarrow (Achillea); the common perennial²⁴ Lupin—these are some of many types of hardy flowers which would grow freely near the water–side[70] apart wholly from the plants that naturally frequent such places or which are usually placed there. With these hardy plants too, a variety of the nobler hardy ferns would thrive, as the Struthiopteris; the finer types of the Umbellate order (Ferula and others) would also come in well here. We will now consider the plants that naturally belong to such situations so to say.  
Water–plants of northern and temperate²⁵ regions, associated with those of our own country, add much beauty to a garden if well selected and well grown. A great deal of variety may be added to the margins²⁶, and here and there to the surface, of ornamental²⁷ water, by the use of a good collection of hardy aquatics²⁸ arranged with taste; but this has not yet been fairly attempted. Usually we see the same monotonous²⁹ vegetation all round the margin if the soil be rich; in some cases, where the bottom is of gravel³⁰, there is little or no vegetation, but an unbroken ugly line of washed earth between wind and water. In others, water–plants accumulate till they are only an eyesore—not submerged plants like Anacharis, but such as the Water Lilies when matted together. A well–developed plant or group of plants of the queenly Water Lily, with its large leaves and noble flowers, is an object not surpassed by any other in our gardens; but when it increases and runs over the whole of a piece of water—thickening together and being in consequence weakened—and water–fowl cannot make their way through it, then even this plant loses its charms. No garden water, however, should be without a few fine plants or groups of the Water Lily. Where the bottom does not allow of the free development of the plant, earth might be accumulated in the spot where it was desired to encourage the growth of the Nymphæa. Thus arranged it would not spread too much. But it is not difficult to prevent the plant from spreading; indeed I have known isolated³¹ plants, and groups of it, remain of almost the same size for years. The Yellow Water Lily, Nuphar lutea, though not so beautiful as the preceding, is well worthy³² of a place; and also the little N. pumila, a variety or sub–species found in the lakes of the north of Scotland.
 
Then there is the fine and large N. advena, a native of America, which pushes its leaves boldly above the water, and is very vigorous in habit. It is very plentiful³³ in the Manchester Botanic Garden, and will be found to some extent in most gardens of the same kind. The American White Water Lily (Nymphæa odorata) is a noble species, which would prove quite hardy in Britain. It is a pity this noble aquatic plant is not more frequently seen, as it is quite as fine as our own Water Lily. Rose–coloured varieties are spoken of, but are not yet in cultivation³⁴ here.
 
One of the prettiest effects I have ever observed was afforded by a sheet of Villarsia nymphæoides belting round the margin of a lake near a woody recess³⁵, and before it, more towards the deep water, a group of Water Lilies. The Villarsia is a charming little water–plant, with its Nymphæa–like leaves and numerous golden–yellow flowers, which furnish a beautiful effect on fine days, under a bright sun. It is not very commonly distributed as a native plant, though, where found, generally very plentiful.
 
Not rare—growing, in fact, in nearly all districts of Britain—but beautiful and singular, is the Buckbean or[72] Marsh³⁶ Trefoil (Menyanthes trifoliata), with its flowers deeply fringed on the inside with white filaments³⁷, and the round unopened buds blushing on the top with a rosy³⁸ red like that of an Apple–blossom. It will grow in a bog or any moist place, or by the margin of any water. For grace, no water–plant can well surpass Equisetum Telmateia, which, in deep soil, in shady and sheltered places near water, often grows several feet high, the long, close–set, slender branches depending from each whorl in a singularly graceful³⁹ manner. It will grow on the margins of lakes and streams, especially among water–side bushes, or in boggy spots in the shade.
 
For a bold and picturesque⁴⁰ plant on the margin of water, nothing equals the great Water Dock (Rumex Hydrolapathum), which is rather generally dispersed⁴¹ over the British Isles⁴²; it has leaves quite sub–tropical in aspect and size, becoming of a lurid⁴³ red in the autumn. It forms a grand mass of foliage⁴⁴ on rich muddy banks, and, unlike many water–plants, has the good quality of not spreading too much. The Cat’s–tail (Typha) must not be omitted, but it should not be allowed too much liberty. The narrow–leaved one (T. angustifolia) is more graceful than the common one (T. latifolia). Carex pendula is excellent for the margins of water, its elegant drooping⁴⁵ spikes⁴⁶ being quite distinct in their way. It is rather common in England, more so than Carex pseudocyperus, which grows well in a foot or two of water or on the margin of a muddy pond. Carex paniculata forms a strong and thick stem, sometimes 3 ft. or 4 ft. high, somewhat like a tree Fern, and with luxuriant masses of drooping leaves, and on that account is transferred to moist places in gardens, and cultivated by some, though generally these large specimens[73] are difficult to remove and soon perish. Scirpus lacustris (the Bulrush) is too distinct a plant to be omitted, as its stems, sometimes attaining⁴⁷ a height of more than 7 ft. and even 8 ft., look very imposing⁴⁸; and Cyperus longus is also a desirable plant, reminding one of the aspect of the Papyrus⁴⁹ when in flower. It is found in some of the southern counties of England. Poa aquatica might also be used. Cladium Mariscus is another distinct and rather scarce British aquatic which is worth a pla............