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Hardy Water-Lilies |
The depth of water required for the pond depends on the
varieties of nymphaeas being grown. The small, weaker-
growing sorts need at least six inches, the stronger growers up
to three feet. When planting has been done only sufficient
water to cover the crowns should be allowed in the pond and
then as the plants grow and throw up new leaves, further water
is gradually added until the pool is filled. This will take some
weeks but care in this respect will lessen the shock of trans-
planting and encourage early flowering. Apart from planting
on the bed of the pond either directly into the soil or in baskets,
water-lilies look effective if spaces or basins of the right size
are built at the sides of the pools.
No one who has seen well-rooted plants bearing an abun-
dance of flowers will hesitate to say that they are worth while
growing where water is available. Given the benefit of all
the sun there is and an adequate water surface with good
loamy soil, the plants will continue to flower freely for years,
the period of showing colour being from June until October.
With the present great interest in floral decoration, many
types of flowers are being employed which would never have
been considered a few years ago. The cut blooms of many
water-lilies are very suitable for table decoration and are being
used increasingly.
In the normal way, the flowers begin to close up in the late
afternoon, which means that they are not seen at their best in
the evening. To overcome this drawback, it has been proved
quite satisfactory to place a few drops of florist's or paraffin
wax at the base of the petals. The flowers will then be held
firmly open.
Such action might, however, lead to disqualification if it were
done to an exhibit staged in a competitive class at a flower
show.
Several of the Nymphaea pygmaea varieties are very suitable
for growing in bowls in the living-room. A bowl of about
twelve inches in diameter will take one lily planted as firmly as
possible in two or three inches of soil at the bottom of the bowl.
The foliage of the plant makes it unnecessary to plant any
other subject. Often the flowers will appear in succession from
June to December.
Although there are so many beautiful varieties of water-lilies
only a comparatively few are at all well known. The colour
range is wide' so it will be more convenient if we list varieties
under colour headings rather than give a straight alphabetical
list.
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