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Plants For The Waterside |
 The banks of a stream or natural pool provide just the right
conditions for using plants which like a moist, but not
saturated soil, and apart from their own beauty, such plants do
enhance the good appearance of the subjects which actually
grow in the water. It is important not to plant in any way
which suggests formality - little clumps of plants of varying
heights will give just that informal appearance which is so
essential.
In nearly all cases, the surrounding soil will be ordinary
earth, but if plenty of leaf mould or peat is added, it will not
only provide the conditions liked by the plants, but prevent
the soil drying right out during the height of summer.
While the majority of waterside plants like sun, so long as
their roots remain moist there are many which succeed well in
partial shade. Since die range is very wide and obviously no
garden will be able to accommodate all suitable species avail-
able, it therefore becomes a matter of personal choice as to what
is grown and chosen right, the plants will give a lovely display
and make the stream or pool even more delightful.
Aconitum or monkshood is a genus of hardy plants, which
grow well both in sunny positions and partial shade. They
are of tall stately appearance and easy to propagate both by
division of roots and by seed.
A. napellus is die best known, growing three and a half feet
high with spikes of rich blue flowers.
Anemone rivularis loves a cool shady place and in June
and July has snowy-white flowers on fifteen- to eighteen-inch
stems.
Aruncus sylvestris is well known as Spirea aruncus and is
most suitable for the waterside. The foliage is much divided
and the flowers are creamy-white, being- formed in large
plumes.
Asclepias incarnata is the Swamp Milk Weed, growing two
and a half to three feet high with leafy stems and umbels of
rosy-pink flowers.
Asters of various types always look well and the rush-leaved
aster, which is A. juncens grows two and a half feet high and
has heads of violet-blue flowers and grassy foliage.
A. nemoralis is a fine bog aster, varying in height from nine
to eighteen inches with heads of rich purple flowers.
A. punicens is perfectly hardy, growing three feet or more
high, having heads of blue-purple flowers.
Astilbes are splendid plants for the waterside, not only
because of their bright plumes of flowers, but on account of
their handsome foliage.
The arendsii hybrids are particularly good and among them
are 'Bremen', crimson, 'Fanal', red, 'Granat', deep crimson,
'Gunther', pink, and 'Silver Sheath', silvery-white.
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