Garden Ponds are a great way to enjoy your California backyard

Plants For The Water Garden Stratiotes or Water Soldier. This is a hardy plant, somewhat like Eichornia in habit, and may be grown in the pond. The flowers are white and arise from foliage that resembles the head of a Globe Artichoke. Throughout the cold months the plant remains just below the surface of the water ; with Spring's awakening it rises to the surface to flower.

Plants that Root in the Soil, Leaves and Blooms on the Surface
The principal plants in this category are the water lilies, two species of which are indigenous to this country-the Yellow Water Lily or Nuphar and the White Water Lily or Nymphaea. The wild species, however, have comparatively small blooms and a fairly short flowering season ; the colour of the flowers, too, falls far below that of the cultivated varieties, especially with the white or true water lily. Also, varieties may be obtained for all depths of water from less than a foot to four feet. The greater the depth, however, so the leaves will spread over a greater area. The rule is-planted at three feet depth an area twelve feet in diameter will be covered, at two feet a diameter of ten feet and at a foot deep five feet diameter will be covered.

They should be planted in wicker baskets rather than in pots ; as the plant grows fairly quickly the roots would become ' pot bound ' in a year or so. The baskets should contain a good, heavy loam mixed with a small percentage of cow manure. The manure will not harm the fishes and the dissolved organic matter will give rise to the infusoria on which daphnae and other crustaceans feed. A layer of stones placed on top of the soil will prevent the water from washing it away. When the lily is nicely planted, the basket should be lowered carefully to the desired spot.

Nuphar or Yellow Water Lily. This plant, otherwise known as the ' King Cup,' has a bright yellow flower with red stamens somewhat like a poppy in shape. The blooms are about three inches in diameter and stand higher out of the water than those of the white variety. There are several cultivated kinds and all are some shade or other of yellow- primrose to orange. Advena is one of the best all-round members of the group and may be grown in anything from an inch to three feet of water. If grown in very shallow water the foliage and blooms will stand two or three feet above the surface. Wild nuphars can be purchased for sixpence each and the cultivated varieties up to half a guinea.