So far as I am concerned , the Water Lily stands out as the queen of aquatic plants. Nearly every person that has a pond has a Lily or wants one. The worth of the hardy Water Lily lies not just in the wonder of it's cup-shaped or star-shaped flower but in addition in the round or heart shaped leaves (pads) which not only do they keep the fish happy but they assist to keep the water clear as well.
I think it is a desirable plant that has a number of surprises for every one of us and an equal amount of pitfalls for your amateur. The initial surprise for that newbie could be the vast range of flower sizes, leaf sizes, leaf spread and planting depth required. The dwarf varieties (minatures) with 1" wide leaves covering about 1 sq.ft of pond surface and bearing medal-sized flowers are a very good choice for the minipond created from a half-barrel. At the other end of the scale you will discover the Viogrous varieties with leaves measuring greater than 8" across whch, and if left alone, will blanket a pond of 50 sq.ft or more and produce flowers the size of dinner plates.
The golden rule is never to buy a Water Lily just because the picture looks nice and also it costs lower than the others on show. You should measure your pond surface and then aim to buy a number of specimens with an anticipated spread of no more than half of the pond surface. Never be guided by the price. Those which are far too vigarous for the common size pond actually cost lower than the greater compact ones which usually do not look good value for money because of thier size.
In making selection easier it is better to group Water Lilies into a tiny number of types. Dwarf, Medium and Vigorous. All you have to try and do is to choose the sort with the right planting depth and the anticipated spread for your needs and then find a variety within that group which has a shape and colour that you find attractive. The time of flowering will not come in to the choice because all Water Lilies behave roughly the same. Blooming starts in June after which the flowers appear in succession until September. Each bloom opens from late morning to late afternoon and lasts for around 4 days.
Now for one of the surprises. Many of the scores of varieties on offer today came from the breeding work of the Frenchman who lived the name of M. Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac. The first one appeared in 1877 but unfortunately his secrets died with him in 1911. For this reason, the majority of the Water Lily varieties in the catalogues are in excess of 80 years old. I an happy to say that new American varieties are actually beginning to appear on the market, but Latour-Marliac hybrids still continue to dominate.
Now for the planting rules. May and June are the very best months for planting and you will need a sunny spot and still water . Take off the old leaves belonging to the rootstock and trim back the firous roots. Plant firmly so the crown is just protruding above the surface. Submerge the basket so the young leaves float at the surface and gradually lower the basket to the ultimate depth as the leaves grow. This may take several months to achieve.
Once you’ve stocked your pond with plants, leave it for a month befor introducing any fish. Don't just tip the fish in as soon as you get them home. Place the polythene bag in your pond and leave it for an hour. After an hour gently open the bag and add some pond water to it. Leave the bag in the pond for a further 10 minutes. The ultimate stage is to tip the fish in to their new home. Do not worry if the fish hide amid the foliage for a couple of days, this really is quite normal behavior. Leave them alone and what ever you do, don't seek to coax them out.
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In my next article , which won’t be far after this one, I will give details about different styles, shapes and sizes that you can employ to create the perfect pond for yourself. I would also like to take this chance to thank the 'gardener london ' company who have given me help and advise throughout the numerous years that I’ve been gardening.
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