Chapter 14 - Aquatic Plantis, Hardy Ferns, And Ornamental Grasses

Soil and cultivation for aquatic plants
Best varieties
Aquatic border plants—best varieties
Hardy ferns—use and care of; best varieties
Ornamental grasses—importance and care of.

Aquatic Plants.

Wherever bodies of water occur, whether large or small, natural lakes, streams, artificial ponds, or fountain-basins, their decoration with more or less of the water-loving plants —aquatics—can be made to greatly increase the naturally beautiful effects of such features of landscape, Fig. 146. Much interest has been awakened in the past few years in these plants, and many growers of, and dealers in, aquatic plants are found in different sections of the country. There has been a great increase in the growth of these plants for ornamentation, especially in parks and public grounds as well as on many private places. Many of the " aquatics " are easily grown in any shallow body of water that is not fed by cold springs or mountain streams, but some of them, like the Victoria regia, require more or less artificial heat, that may be carried to the water by steam or hot-water pipes from some greenhouse or other heating-plant. Many of them are started from seed, while some of them are propagated by division of the roots. Pull direction for germinating the seed and growing- the plants may be obtained from the catalogues of dealers in this class of plants.

SOIL.—The soil best suited to the growth of most of the aquatics, especially the water-lilies, is one made of equal parts of good garden soil and well-decomposed stable manure. If the plants are grown from seed, they need to be transplanted two or three times until large enough to put into the open air, when they should be planted in a box or tub or be sunken in the mud, pressing the soil firmly about the roots, and then covering the surface of the soil with coarse sand or gravel. It matters little what the depth of water over the plants is after well established; it may be 3 inches or 3 or more feet; but for the water-lilies, it should never get so low as to have the leaves rest on the soil for any considerable length of time. After good growth has begun, if the soil is in the proper condition, but little care need be given except to see that the water does not all evaporate, or that muskrats do, not get at and destroy the roots, of which they are very fond. Every means possible, by poisoning, trapping, shooting, etc., should be taken to get rid of the above pests, as a single pair of these animals will destroy a large number of plants in a short time. Among the plants that grow directly in the water are the following:

Lotus, Egyptian.                                    Water-lilies, Royal Purple.
"      White Japanese.                            "     Superb.
"       Striped Japanese.                         "     Devonian.
"      Native.                                          "         "     East Indian.
Water-lilies, Hardy.                              "         "     White African.
"         "     Rose-flowered.                    "     Royal or Victoria.
"         "     Large-flowered.                   Water-hyacinth.
"         "     Yellow-flowered.                 Water-poppy. .
"         "     European.                            Salvinia.
"        "    Day blooming.                        Papyrus, Egyptian.
"         "     Purple African.                     Flag, Variegated.
Porcupine-plant.
Parrot's-feather.
Wild Rice.
Cat-o'-nine-tail.
Bur weed.
Water-plantain.

Arrowhead. Scouring-rush. Pickerel-weeds Bulrush. Bur-marigold.

EAST INDIAN LOTUS {Nelumhium roseum), Pig. 147.— A most beautiful plant, with large peltate or round-shield-shaped leaves and large pink or rose-colored flowers. It is easily grown in shallow, warm-water ponds, or in tubs, where it blooms freely. Use a rich, heavy, but not clayey loam.

FIG. 147—East India Lotus (Nilumbium roseum).

The other species of nelumbiums that succeed almost equally well with the above and require the same treatment are the WHITE JAPANESE (JV. album grandiflorum), STRIPED JAPANESE (N. album striatum), and the EGYPTIAN LOTUS (N. speciosum). The latter resembles the first species, but the flowers are paler in color and not so large and full. The native YELLOW LOTUS (JV. luteum) is found growing in the ponds and streams of the South and Southwest, and succeeds in warm, sheltered places much further north. All of the above species are claimed to be perfectly hardy in the Northern and Western States if covered with water deep enough so that the ground around their roots will not freeze, i.e., 2 to 3 feet deep, according to latitude.

HARDY WATER-LILIES.—Our native water-lilies, found in many sections of the country, are very beautiful and easily grown, the principal requirements being a deep, muddy soil. Only water enough to cover the roots is all that is absolutely necessary, but they generally grow to greater perfection in 2 or 3 feet of water. In deep water they are easily planted by tying the roots to stones and dropping them in where wanted.

Many beautiful varieties are now propagated and offered for sale, among the best of which are the ROSE-FLOWERED WATER-LILY {Nymphǽa odorata, var. rosea), Fig. 148, LARGE-FLOWERED WATER-LILY (iV. O., var. superba), YELLOW WATER-LILY {N. O. sulphur-ea).

The EUROPEAN WHITE WATER-LILY [N. alba candidis-sima) produces rather larger flowers than our native species, is equally hardy, and a more abundant bloomer.

TENDER WATER-LILIES.—The flowers of this group of water-lilies give a greater variety of forms and colors than those last described. They bloom more freely, showing flowers from July to September, if planted in shallow warm-water ponds or basins. They can also be grown in tubs with good success, but the roots   must be wintered in a greenhouse-tank or be purchased at the beginning of every season. If considerable skill is exercised by covering the plants with barrels, then with leaves and straw, they may be carried over winter in the tank or pond.

FIG.148—Hose Flowered Water-Lily (nymphǽa odorata rosea).

They may be divided into two groups: i.e., first, those blooming during the day, opening in the morning and closing at night; and second, those opening in the evening, remaining open during the night and until toward noon the following day.

The best of the DAY-BLOOMING varieties are: PURPLE ZANZIBAR OR AFRICAN LILY (Nymphǽa Zanzibar), Fig. 149, ROYAL PURPLE AFRICAN LILY (N. Z. superba), SUPERB AFRICAN LILY (JV. Z. superba). These species may be had in bloom constantly from July to September, if planted in rich soil in shallow, warm water in ponds, basins, or tubs.    For the best results in tubs they should be placed on the south, southeast, or southwest shelter of buildings or shrubbery, where the sun will strike them for 6 to 8 hours per day. A bright, sunny exposure is also desirable for the location of the pond or tank, that the water may be kept as warm as possible.

FIG.149—Purple African Water-Lily (Nyrmphǽa Zanzibarensis).

The best varieties of the NIGHT-BLOOMERS are: The DEVONIAN" WATER-LILY (Nymphǽa Devoniensis), one of the choicest and most beautiful, with bright rose-colored flowers and scarlet stamens. EAST INDIAN WATER-LILY (N. rubra). WHITE AFRICAN WATER-LILY (N. dentata), one of the most free bloomers, with flowers of large size and very easily grown. ROYAL WATER-LILY ( Victoria regia), the largest of all the water-lilies, its leaves often measuring 4 to 6 feet across and the flowers a foot in diameter. Very few persons succeed in blooming this royal flower, and then it is done only where artificial heat is introduced from some greenhouse or other steam or hot-water plant near by. But where such facilities are available the results generally well repay the effort, for nothing of an aquatic growth can exceed the grandeur of the immense floating leaves and large gorgeously colored flowers of this plant.

Many other water-loving plants besides the water-lilies may be used with good effect in aquatic gardens. These may be divided into those growing directly in deep water and those growing in the moist soil on its borders. Of the first are the

WATER-HYACINTH (Eichhornia crassipes).—The flowers of this plant resemble  those  of  the common light blue hyacinth, and by some it is likened to a species of orchid-blossoms. It grows freely in shallow warm water, each plant, after separating from its parent, floating, driven about by the winds or currents from one side of the pond or basin to the other. It blooms freely and the very abundant floating roots and inflated petioles or leaf-stalks are very interesting.

FIG. 150—Water-Poppy (Lymnocharis Humboldtii).

WATER-POPPY {Limnocharis Humboldtii), Fig. 150.— The bright lemon-colored flowers of this little plant add very greatly to the beauty of any collection of aquatics. Plants set out in June grow rapidly and bloom freely.

SALVINIA (S. Braziliensis).—A very pretty little floating plant with light green almost heart-shaped leaves covered with many soft hairs. It grows freely, and floating about among the larger plants has a very pleasing effect.

Aquatic Border-Plants.

PAPYRUS OR REED PAPER-PLANTS {Papyrus anti-quorum), Fig. 144, page 246.—This plant has already been described under " Subtropical Plants," but is equally useful and beautiful for the borders of ponds and fountain-basins. It is one of the most beautiful of plants, wherever grown, its graceful umbrella-like clusters of leaves being entirely unlike any foliage of the temperate zone. It grows equally well on the banks or in the water at the border, and makes a beautiful centre plant for a group of other upland aquatics or in large clusters by itself.

VARIEGATED FLAG (Acorus Japonicus variegatus).—Oar native "sweet flag" is familiar to most persons, and this plant is very much like it except that it has most beautifully variegated green and white leaves. It is perfectly hardy and grows freely.

PORCUPINE-PLANT (Scirpus Tabernǽmontani zebrina). —A beautiful hardy plant with round leafless stems, beautifully marked in sections of white and green, giving it something of the appearance of the quills of the porcupine. This plant and the variegated flag can be so grouped with the light and dark green, the broad- and the narrow-leaved, aquatics as to produce most beautiful effects.

PARROT'S-FEATHER (Myriophyllum proserpinacoides), Fig. 151.—This beautiful plant will serve so many purposes for water decoration, makes so rapid growth, and is so easily grown that it should be much more cultivated than it now is. It makes a most beautiful border-plant for ponds and fountain-basins, and planted in the pans of large fountains its drooping growth in with the falling water produces most charming effects. It may be successfully grown in hanging baskets or basins and over the stones in aquaria. It is so easily propagated that even small shoots, taken off and placed in rather warm water, root in a very few days.

FIG. 151—Parrot's-Feather  (Myriophyllum proserpinacoides).

WILD RICE (Zizania aquatica).—A rapid-growing grass of large size and graceful form.  It is easily grown, in fact in some places it spreads so rapidly from self-sown seed as to become a nuisance unless heroically weeded out in the early summer.

Many native plants are useful for decorating borders of ponds and streams, among the best of which are the following: CAT-O'-NINE-TAIL {Typha latifolia), BURWEED (Sparganium simplex), WATER-PLANTAIN (Alisma plan-tago), ARROWHEAD (Sagittaria variabilis), SCOURING-RUSH (Equisetums sp.), BULRUSH (Scirpus sp.), PICKEREL-WEED {Pontederia cordata), BUR-MARIGOLD (Bidens sp.), and many species of sedges (Ca?-ex), all of which are found in or about our ponds and streams and may be easily transplanted to more cultivated locations. Some of them, like the Bidens and Typha, etc., seed very freely, and a little heroic thinning will be needed to prevent them from overrunning the space needed for more desirable plants.

Hardy Ferns.

There are many hardy species of large-growing ferns that are beautiful and easily grown and especially suited for the decoration of shaded places. They thrive best in a rather moist soil, but if in the shade many of them will grow luxuriantly in even thin soil. They are easily transplanted and may be moved from the woods or roadside at almost any time if a large clump of roots and soil is taken up, but perhaps the best time is when they are beginning to grow in the spring and early summer.

Among the best are: MAIDENHAIR FERN (Adiantum pedatum), CINNAMON FERNS (Osmunda regalis, cinna-monia, and Claytoniand), CHRISTMAS FERNS (Aspidium marginale),   SWORD-FERN   {A.  acrostichoides), OSTRICH FERN (Onoclea struthiopteris), RATTLESNAKE FERN (BO-irichium Virginicuni), BLADDER-FERN (Cistopteris bulbi-fera), and Polypodium vulgare, Woodsia illvensis and obtusa are especially useful for rocks and dry wooded places.

Ornamental Grasses.

A number of hardy and very ornamental grasses may play an important part in home lawn decorations, either in masses by themselves or planted with groups of other decorative plants, trees, or shrubs. They are easily grown and propagated by division of the clump; one clump of two or three years' growth may often be divided so as to make a score or more plants.    The great advantage of these grasses is that they are perfectly hardy and require so little care.  Among the best are the following:

FIG. 152—Pampas-Grass (Gynerium argentum).

PAMPAS-GRASS {Gynerium argentum), Fig. 152, JAPAN PLUME-GRASSES {Eulalia Japonica, E. J. zebrina (Fig. 153), E. J. variegata, E. J. gracillema), REED-GRASS (Arundo donax), both plain and variegated, etc., RIBBON-GRASS (Phalaris arundinacece).    The last species spreads rapidly and should be kept within bounds by spading up and pulling out all the suckers or stolons as soon as they get beyond the limits of the bed or space it is desired that it shall occupy.

FIG, 153—E.J. Variegata, E.J. Gracillema

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