Evening star., 1938-08-06
Pools Vary
Widely as
Formal or Natural
Ones Are Chosen
To Fit Location.
BY EDITH HOUGH.

WATER, whether moving or still
has an indefinable charm and
brings serenity and reflective beauty
to q garden. And it brings life. mir
roring the sunlight and the passing
clouds It's practical advantages are
its coolness and its focusing Of the
planting. 1t prevents the dry. vacant
look which may appear toward the
end Of summer.
The formal pool. dignified and pure
in outline. is most suitable for large
garden. A long, narrow pool with
parallel planting. however, will ex-
tend the distance considerably.
Rectangular or circular, its sides should
be smooth and it should be centralized
in q ose-clipped lawn with ever
green planting. Too many flowers in
the vicinity destroy its effect. If it is
not in the center, but at one end OF
the garden, overhanging shrubs on
one side may soften its severity. Also
If this is the case, such stately flowers
az the Lilium candidum are effective
beside 1t. Classical and aquatic figures
and fountains are very striking in
pools Of this type. II in broad lawn,
an informal mixed border throws into
relief both pool and plants. Informal
simplicity may be achieved by allow
ing grass to grow to the waters edge
and planting shrubs close by.
A natural pool Is best in small space
and can be made with little trouble.
If lily pool. it should be comparatively
deep. for foot Of water should cover
the crowns of the plants. BY digging
hole about 3 feet deep. covering the
bottom with from to inches Of con-
crete and the sides with the same
amount through poultry netting, and
applying smoothing coat after 48
hours, q water-tight pool is made.
Great care should be taken in leveling
1t accurately with q board and
carpenters level. Its edges may be
formed Of stones, Of a uniform and
weathered appearance, set in the con-
crete. Spaces should be left between
these for moss, and they should be
roughened to afford foothold for rock
plants. A thorough cleaning every
year, with additional coats Of con-
crete, is necessary. If a log is placed
in the water in winter the pool can
not crack after freezing.
Lily tubs and pockets for cattails
and other aquatic plants should be set
in the concrete bottom when it Is
laid. Clean white sand on the top Of
the soil of the tubs will keep the water
clear. All rock garden and bog plants,
such as aZalea, bluets and cowslips,
are suitable borders for such a pool
Water lilies can be gotten in white,
yellow and pink and of several
varieties.
To make an island in the center, q
wooden form should be filled with
stones and cement. The soil is packed
on its saucer-like top, at the surface
Of the water, after the base is finished,
and the form removed.
A waterfall amply rewards the little
effort required to construct it. The
pool must be made in sloping ground.
The drain pipe, set in before the
cementing, rises through the pool to
an outlet just above the water line.
The inlet for elie waterfall has its
opening on the higher level, above the
ground line, in depression behind
. shelf of rocks. These rocks slant
above the pool, thus allowing the
water to flow smoothly down and out
OF the drain. The edges Of such q
pool should be irregular and the more
the surrounding planting conceals
them the better.
The simplest pool is made by q
galvanized tub set in a deep hole. A
deeper hole in the center allows for
the drainage. This should be filled
with pebbles so that it cannot become
clogged by soil. A cork in the bottom
OF the tub can easily be removed to
empty the pool.