Sounds beautiful. I've actually never seen water lilies of any sort in their native environment, though I've seen some amazing pictures. It sounds like the heat requirement will keep me away from night bloomers for while.

Thalia's blooming a lot this year. It doesn't look like much, but it does invite visitors.

Second day of this bloom, the third on this lotus this year. It's about 10" across here.

None of my water lotus seem to be slow getting started and I have finally just gotten my first water lily bloom today. Need to get a picture of it. In the mean time here is a water hyacinth.

Love the lotus bloom!! Also very jealous My lotus was growing like gangbusters until yesterday I noticed a lot of eaten leaves and then found dozens of black caterpillars on it. I've probably squished 30 or more of all sizes from eyelash to a couple inches. Gross! Hopefully I can keep up, there seem to be more every day, and the lotus will recover.

We seem to be behind too - however, my WH don't typically start flowering until August. Holly - you are in a warmer zone than I. Is this when they normally flower for you?

Love the lotus. I have not tried lotus.

We are in Zone 6A and it always feels as though I am waiting for my WL to bloom. I have a friend that lives a bit farther north about 1/2hr dive and her WL were blooming a month ago. Might just be the variety. My WH usually bloom about now.

my first ever flower...

A pristine beauty!! Congratulations

Really pretty doesn't it give you a small thrill when they bloom?

Mick - I love the white flowers against the darker pads, don't you? Just love your WL. Holly is right, it does give a certain thrill, doesn't it?

There is another one coming,the excitement is the same as having children...

There is a lack of pretty pictures here, I think. Here's what was blooming in my ponds today:

Steven Strawn and Lemon Mist


Islamorada and a dinner plate hibiscus (they're only happy sitting in the water at my place)


Mayla and Almost Black


Dauben and Gorgon/Foxnut/Euryale


These last two are in the same pond, and the flowers are the same size, but the leaves on the first are about 3" across and the leaves on the second are up to 30"...

I don't have much blooming this year. Only one WL is blooming and it is putting up just the occasional bloom. Thanks for sharing your lovely blooms. I am working on a new pond project. Hopefully I will have it finished for next spring.

Is Dauben a hardy or tropical? I have one that looks very much like that, small blooms and small smooth pads.

Beautiful blooms!

Dauben is a viviparous tropical.

That's it, it grows plants on the leaves, it grows plants from the wandering roots and it seeds plants throughout the pond. It blooms a lot though, so I like it even though the blooms are small. It is great in a small water feature, I gave some to a friend who is growing it in the base of a fountain, it's got good leaf cover and is keeping the algae from growing.

Yep. It reproduces well. I love the fact that I can throw it into any little container of water and get blooms. I try to keep a larger mother plant going in the greenhouse, though.

Dauben's cheap and easy enough to grow as an annual. People without waterlilies are really missing out, IMHO.

This isn't the best picture of my Dauben as the blue shade of the blooms is washed out by the sunlight. I will try and get a better pic in the morning before it is so bright. This is in a grow out tank I have on the roof, I use it to grow starts to give away and a place for the Mollies and Guppies that I give away.



This isn't a bloom but I'm really happy that my 2 red mangrove plants have recovered so well. They were knocked into the pond and several of the branches and roots were broken by one of my cats trying to get out on a log I have in the middle of the pond. I think the offending kitty went swimming Originally I had one of the plants in the pond on the roof but the water up there gets much hotter, approaching 90°F at times. The mangrove was not happy with either the water temp or the full sun or the shallowness of the pond. It's in a lot deeper water now, about 3.5', much cooler water and only in full sun for part of the day. Whatever it is, it is a lot happier - without the cat however.



You are right, people without ponds are missing a lot of fun, and some really nice blooms.

Love the photos Jonna.

Here's what's been blooming the last couple of days:

Little Helvola which is a very light yellow.


Paul Hariot the first day and the second day.


Sulphurea and Attraction


A new one I've already forgotten the name of. It's starts out pale and turns this color the next day.