Water lily

[agedgardener2]

I have some Pink Lotus seeds from France that I have been trying to germinate with no success.Today this hardy Water lily bloomed in my pond.Who needs a Lotus when this blooms so beautifully after spending the cold winter in the pond? JOY

[Laura]

So beautiful !! ... I just love a pink flower.

[Dumbo]

Yup. Very nice.

I know diddlysquat about water lily's but from the very tiny bit I read, that is a hobby all on it's own to get them to germinate and flower.

If I had the room, I would install a pond and try it. Must be rewarding when they flower.

Some species only flower every 7 years, as I found out by accident when my ex-gf picked one while we were kayaking behind Celine Dions house (you can see the river behind the house in the first pic here http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/22 ... in-quebec/), and some environmental cops chased me down to yell at me for half an hour. Not like I knew it was endangered or some of these only flower every 7 years. Live and learn. I passed this knowledge on to the kids now. So when they see one they never pick it and let others know.

Yup. That 's a hobby all on it's own. agedgardener2, don't give up on the lotus. Try again. Or maybe it only flowers every X-years like many other types?

[davefrombc]

There are several water lilies you can grow as a patio plant in a large ceramic pot or a lined half barrel. I have a bunch of them growing in a kiddies splash pool . I don't know what colours survived out of the yellow, pink , red and white ones I had in there .. Winter before last they got severely damaged when the pool was frozen, and then in spring my pup kept pulling all the lily pots out of the pool and dumping them on the lawn. Result is the rhizomes got very fragmented So instead of a plant of each colour mentioned, I have a bunch of them growing in there and no idea what colours they'll be.. I had no flowers on them last year due to Bolts "help" in the pool, but I see buds on a couple of them this year.. We just need some warm and sunny weather to open them up. They are all hardy waterlily types and two of them are the same varieties as agedgardener2s that she posted up in those beautiful pix.

[agedgardener2]

My WL are hardy and remain in the pond all winter with the fish and pond warmers.I had a huge Maple tree removed last summer .The pond gets more sunshine as does the whole garden.Everything is thriving.I have the biggest healthiest weed in town!My kind neighbor weeded the rose bed but there remains a lot to be done.Another friend helped with the pots.I wish my family were more inclined to help.We now have 3 sailboats and 2 canoes in the yard and larger sailboat and tender in the river!! Grammy Joy

[agedgardener2]

That wasn't the picture I wanted to show.I'll try again

[Eeyore]

That's fabulous Joy! I did not get a waterlily this year as they were $30 each which is a bit rich for my blood right now. Also, I want to read up on them first to see what I should get. Being the first year with the pond we are trying to decide what we should do with it in the winter. You say you have a pond heater? Does it keep the pond completely open or just an opening in the ice?

[agedgardener2]

Hi Lynne;It is a de icer .It just keeps a hole in the ice but the fish...even Koi live through the winter.They are hardy water lilies. Lately I've had two going. We forgot where the darn thing was and I had to buy another so now I have 2. Just finished a fabulous dinner cooked by my DIL.....fathers'Day.......far too much wine.I have retired to my place and am having my desert here.Crepes with strawberries,blueberries etc as far as I can see.Joy

[Dumbo]

far too much wine.I have retired to my place and am having my desert here.Crepes with strawberries,blueberries etc as far as I can see.

Darn. I want to vacation at you place. Strawberry crepes. Blueberries. Nightly yard parties... Endless supply of wine... Its heaven.

How much?

[agedgardener2]

Dumbo....don't get your hopes up.My son is very protective of me and any on line friends who come to visit.He is sure everyone is here to steal the "family fortune". He was even worried when Lynne and her daughter came to visit. These meals only happen on special occasions.Grammy Joy