Evening star., 1947-08-03
THE SUNDAY STAR, Washington, D. e.
SUNDAY. AUGUST
Garden Boasts Beauty
Nature Lovers Flock to Kenilworth
To See Blooms in Varied Display
By Stoniey Boitz.

Hordes Of nature lovers are max
ing the trek these days to the Kenil-
worth Aquatic Gardens, in North
east Washington, to see what, &C.
cording to experts, Is the worlds
finest display of water flowers.
Employees Of the National Capital
Parks System, which supervises the
gardens, estimate that between S.
600 and e,000 persons visit the gar
dens each week during June, July
and August, when. the blooms are al
their peak Of resplendence. Saunter-
ing on the footpaths between pools
Of blooming flora, the visitors from
far and near can gaze at more than
100 varieties Of water lily and five
varieties Of lotus-all barring their
loveliness in an exotic riot Of color
In addition, there is an abundance
Of subaquatic growth such as arrow
head, cat-tail, water poppy, waite,
hyacinth, pickerel weed, button bush
pink milkweed, sedge, rush and
smartweed.
Surplus Flowers Sold.
The tropical varieties of water lily
reach full bloom In mid-July, adding
their color to the hardy day bloom
ers which reach their peak Of per-
lection early in June. When cold
weather comes, according to Mrs
Ruth Cover, who has been employed
at the gardens for rs years, the
tropical lilies are picked up from the
pools and tucked away In hothouses
Mrs. Cover sells punches Of surplus
cut flowers to visitors, the proceeds
going to maintain the gardens.
One of the more spectacular bits
OF growth is huge platter lily
called the Victoria Regia, which
springs originally from the ANA
zon in South America. It looks like
nothing 50 much as q huge pie
platter with tiny veins Of spine ali
around the edges.
What appears to be a greenish
scum covering some Of the ponds
is In fact duckweed, the tiniest
American Towering aquatic plant
Thousands upon thousands of these
minute plants cover a small area
Weeping willows overhang the
walks and park benches are stra-
logically placed under their grace
full fronds to offer shelter from
the midsummer sun. Herons, egrets
and other water birds come to rest
on the fringes Of the gardens from
time to time and in the surround
ing thickets are countless other
varieties OF birds.
Many Interesting Specimens.
Among the more interesting speci-
mems Of subaquatic greenery are
the dodder of love vine which en-
twines the host plant and feeds
by means Of suckers; the loose
strife, socalled because Of alleged
medicinal properties for persons
afhicted with fits, and the touch
me-nots which fling their seed tc
earth when brushed by q passerby
Scattered here and there amidst
the pools are mallows-whitist
flowers Of the hollyhock family
lovely yellow evening primrose anc
delicate little blue day flowers OF
widow tears.
Great elephant ears Of leaves sig
nal that you are approaching th'
lotus. There are five varieties-th,
Egyptian, large flowers with q dee]
rose color shading to cream at tn,
base of the petals; two kinds o
Chinese lotus, both of q rosy-car
mine color, and a cream -colored 10
tus of japanese derivation. Tn,
American lotus Is a superb speci
men of deep yellow.
The water lilies are more pro
fuse. There are the hardy day
boomers and tender day and nigh
blooming tropicals. Among the Ill.
les, to name a few, are the large
soft, yellow Sunrise; the rose pinl
Souvenir. the Somptuosa, with wax,
double petals family tinted witl
lavender; the Radiance, with semi
pointed petals of iridescent shel
pink; the brilliant crimson Are.