Garden Ponds are a great way to enjoy your California backyard

Plants For The Water Garden The plants themselves fall into four groups, as was noted in Chapter III. Firstly the floating plants, secondly the submerged oxy- genating plants, thirdly plants rooting in the soil but with their flowers and foliage out of the water and, finally, plants with submerged oxygenating foliage but with the flowers above the water. In the following lists the last group will be included with the oxygenating plants.
Surface Floating Plants

The value of these usually insignificant plants is really very great. Many small creatures find sanctuary in the masses of thread-like roots depending in the water and, particularly as regards Duckweed, the fishes derive great benefit from eating them.

Duckweed. Three kinds of duckweed are found commonly in this country, the Greater, the Lesser, and the Ivy-leaved. The latter has the leaves in ivy-shaped fronds, in the other two the leaves are separate. Duckweed should not be introduced into large ponds or lakes ; it soon covers the water with a green coat that does not look altogether pleasant.

Frogbit. The leaves of this plant resemble those of the water lily, but are much smaller- up to two inches in diameter, in reality. It has a small yellow flower and reproduces itself by buds formed in Autumn which drop off the plant and remain on the bottom until the following Spring. Then they arise and burst forth as separate plants. Fishes are very fond of frogbit.

Riccia.
This plant grows in a dense mass and is considered a good oxygenator ; when the sun shines on it large bubbles of oxygen may be seen forming within the mass. It is closely related to the mosses.

Azolla.
Similar in colour to Salvinia this so-called ' Fairy Moss ' grows in small fronds about a quarter-inch across. It is suitable either for pond or aquarium and thrives best in bright sunlight, when the edges of the fronds assume a crimson tint. Azolla is one of the most delightful of all the small floating plants.

Salvinia. Salvinia is suitable only for the indoor aquarium or greenhouse, being a semi-tropical importation. The leaves are pointed oval-shaped and are covered with a fine down : the colour is a delicate pale green.

Eichornia or Water Hyacinth. This beautiful South-American floating plant can be grown in the indoor aquarium or in a bowl in the greenhouse ; it is not quite hardy enough to withstand the vagaries of our Summer out of doors. Spikes of lavender- blue flowers arise from a mass of thick leaves ; altogether a most decorative plant. The roots hang down in the water and provide shelter for fish fry, etc.