Waterlily bowls

If you have a hot spot in your garden or courtyard and want to try something a little different to a normal potted plant, why not grow a water lily in a water bowl? We have found them easy to grow, absolutely beautiful in flower, flower for an extended period of time and there is no watering of course!

The waterlily, Nymphaea, is the most popular of all aquatic plants enjoying the confined space and still water of a water bowl. Just select a large water container with any drainage holes plugged, fill with rainwater and place in your waterlily pot. Waterlilies need annual feeding with specialised waterlily pellets (available at aquatic plant nurseries). And just remember waterlilies are dormant over winter. Hopefully your water bowl will attract frogs and lizards to keep the mosquito larvae at bay. Flowers will soon delight you poking though the lovely waterlily leaves (they start to lower as soon as the air temperature gets to 30 degrees). Waterlilies can be divided after a few years, given to friends or used for more water bowls placed around the courtyard or garden.

There are hundreds of different cultivars that fit into four main types.
Hardy water lilies
Suited to most areas of Australia, they grow best in 20-45cm of water. They come in pink, red, white, orange, yellow and all shades in between and flower from October to March. Recommended varieties: 'Caroliniana Nivea' – pure white, fragrant
'Chromatella' – bright canary yellow
'Fabiola' – shades of pink with white surround
'Conqueror' – rich deep red

Tropical water lilies
Flourish as far south as the warmer areas of Sydney. They typically flower from November until the onset of winter and hold their flowers on tall stalks above the water. The colour range is the same as the hardy varieties with the addition of purple and violet. Many tropical lilies are sweetly fragrant and have flecked or variegated foliage.
Recommended varieties:
'August Koch' – mid-blue, compact
N. colorata – purple to pink
'Mrs Pring' – snowy white

Miniature water lilies
Available in both hardy and tropical forms. They are often better suited to water bowls and small features where they can flower profusely without overcrowding.
Recommended varieties:
'Mini Aurora' – changeable colour from yellow through pink-red
'Laydekeri Fulgens' – strong red
'Helvola' – bright yellow

Companions
Plant other aquatic plants such as Water Canna, Lotus and Papyrus.

Looking for some lilies? Contact:

*Austral water gardens - 02 9985 7370 or visit www.australwatergardens.com.au 

*Garden Express - Call 1300 606 242 or visit www.gardenexpress.com.au for more info