Wild Water Margins

The native stream or meadow pool is nearly always beautiful. Formed by natural means, and clothed with a variety of water plants, the gardener will   here seek his truest inspiration. No matter at what season we visit it, we find ample evidences of sensible grouping and exquisite color effect. In early spring, great clumps of Marsh Marigold line the moisture laden margins.

The Loosestrife and creamy Meadowsweet give color and fragrance throughout the summer days, and as autumn advances the leaves of the Water Dock are dyed a vivid scarlet. In mid-winter there will be a glint of silver among the willows, the soft grays and fawns of dying rush and sedge stain the banks, and above all, there is beauty displayed by a group of alders, stretching their branches across the water.

The overgrown appearance often presented by stream margins may also be relieved by the thinning out of coarse vegetation, and the removal of water weeds. In all such cases it should be our object to heighten interest, without in any way altering a style which is essentially informal.

Supposing then that a natural stream or pond exists somewhere on the property, our first thought must be to secure convenient access. Occasionally we are called upon to consider a pond somewhat overgrown by trees and surrounded by a swampy margin, which has previously caused the spot to be regarded as inaccessible.

The actual making of suitable paths calls for no great skill, in fact the rougher and more irregularly they are formed, the better. Any appearance of uniformity will quite mar the effect, as will the use of gravel surfaces or trimmed edges. To appreciate the value of simplicity, it is worth while examining closely a rough track formed by the passage of wild creatures down to some woodland drinking place or forest pool. In all cases the line of easiest gradient is followed, natural obstacles are skirted closely, and the water approached at some convenient bay or inlet.

Variety is given to the path by the projection through its surface of tree roots and worn stones, which instead of proving a hindrance, often secure a firm foothold on a steep or slippery descent. The edges of such pathways will fade slowly into the grass and undergrowth. Marshy ground calls for more thorough treatment before the path can be used with comfort and safety in all weathers. By excavating a sufficient depth of soil and laying a foundation of stones and rough material, afterwards filling in with ballast, a convenient approach can be formed through all but very wet ground.

In some cases it will be necessary to use flat stones, in order to prevent the ballast from sinking, in others a substructure of wooden piles driven into the ground may be required. The use of stepping stones to connect one section of the pathway with another is especially suitable where a shallow branch of the main stream has to be crossed.

Too frequently the path follows closely the bank of the stream throughout its whole length, producing the monotonous effect which is inseparable from a canal towing path. In the case of a pond, the path often completely encircles it at a regular distance. Apart from other considerations, it is unlikely that the whole course of the stream garden will prove equally worthy of notice, and for this reason, the path should turn inland at the less interesting spots, bending back towards the bank when some desirable feature presents itself.

Where small pieces of water are under con­sideration advantage should be taken of clumps of trees, small knolls, behind which the pathway may be   carried. Anything in fact which will tend to break the con­tinuity of view, and screen, if only momentarily, our stream from sight.

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