JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs Forums Photo Galleries Ask The Experts Tools & Directories        
Return to the Ponds in the UK Forum | Post a Follow-Up

 o
Small waterlily advice please

Posted by Aitch NW England (My Page) on
Mon, Sep 5, 05 at 11:38

Hi,

I'm hoping you can help as I have just realised (yes I know!) that the waterlilies I have are just too big for my pond (10 feet by 5 approx - the pond that is). They have pads which can get up to 7-8" across which would be why I get some but not lots of lily flowers through the summer.

If anyone could suggest some good small ones - pygmy ones maybe - as long as they are floriferous - it would be very much appreciated!

Also if anyone coud suggest what I could do with otherwise healthy pink or white ones when I do get some smaller ones.....

Thanks!


Follow-Up Postings:

 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

  • Posted by AJC_1 8 the fens (My Page) on
    Thu, Sep 29, 05 at 16:27

never had a pygmy lily survive in the pond over winter, always had to bring them into the GH, got one in the bucket now!


 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

I had a tiny pond in my last garden and bought a waterlily to suit - it's been perfect - but I forgot the name ages ago. I vaguely recall that it sounded like an aristocratic male French name, possibly Alexandre de Something... but that may be completely wrong. I still have it, it's survived several winters and a move. Bright pink flowers (only ever one at a time), and chocolate mottled leaves. I'll go see if I can find it somewhere on line...


 o
Can't find it, but:

Aitch, I can't find my waterlily anywhere, but here's a list I found while surfing - the RHS suggestion for lilies suitable for small ponds, with pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: RHS list


 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

  • Posted by Aitch NW England (My Page) on
    Wed, Oct 5, 05 at 15:23

Thanks for the tips - especially the winter survival one! I currently have one in a trug in quarantine - it came complete with duckweed, azolla and blanket weed - nice! Having lost the battle on duckweed - it's here to stay now - I was keen to avoid the other two as you can imagine!


 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

  • Posted by Aitch NW England (My Page) on
    Fri, Oct 7, 05 at 8:10

Hi AJ,

As far as storing the lilly overwinter goes - do you just throw in a few oxygenators and leave well alone? Just worried about dodgy water killing them off ...... Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks


 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

I grow lots of waterlilies, so maybe I`ll be able to help you.
Your pond is not very small, so you should not to limit yourself with pygmy water lilies. They live good in 15-30 cm of dept (from the basket to the water surface), so better grow them in a barrel o kind of that. You should admit, that pygmies has not only small leaves, but small flowers too. If you want pygmies anyway, I recommend `Rubra`.
In your pond will hapilly grow all small and small to medium lilies - Fabiola, Aurora, Burgundy princess, Colorado, Walter pagels, Ellisiana, Paul Hariot and so on.
Best,
Melsva

Here is a link that might be useful: Water lilies


 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

Some are miniature, spreading no more than one foot wide, others are going to be two to three foot wide in good conditions. Some will adapt to being stunted, others can spread and sprawl a lot larger given a mud pond and room to spare

Helvola (yellow) Tetragona (white) and Joanne Pring (pink) are among the smallest hardy waterlilies.

Chrysantha, Aurora, Little Sue, Graziella, Indiana*, Charlies Choice ~ changeables

Hermine, Walter Pagels, Paul Hariot and Perry's White Wonder ~ white

Bateau, Cherokee, Clarissa, Ellisiana, Froebeli, James Brydon*, Laydeckeri Fulgens, Laydeckeri Purpurata, Perry's Baby Red*, Perry's Dwarf Red, Perry's Little Champion, Perry's Red Beauty, Perry's Red Star, Pygmaea Rubra, Reflective Flame, Sanguinea, ~ Red

Pink Sparkle, Beldts Dwarf Pink, Mary Patricia, Jean Marie, Laydackeri Lilacea, Joanne Pring, Jean Marie ~ pink

Berit Strawn ~ peach(ish)

There is some room for argument as to which you might call red, hot pink or pink, colours can vary in tone through their flowering season

* Some wiggle room on size and spread, Indiana is very much a medium size waterlily five feet wide in a fertile pond but can stunt down to two in a container

Chromatella, Pink Beauty and Rose Arey are fairly easy to grow at a small size.... less than three feet wide

Off the top of my head, there are others. Solfatare and Betsy Sakata are smallish yellows, though I forget where I put those, along with umpteen other dinky sized small ones which I won't remember till I bump into the label on their pots

Then, there are the un named varieties...


 o
RE: Small waterlily advice please

wow--thanks for this! It is really helpful!!

Chip


 
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network