Water Garden for Waterlilies

#waterliliesnearme #pondplantsnearme #kerribailey

Top Left- Ladyekin Fulgins Red Waterlily. Middle, Purple is Detective Erika ISG (Intersubgeneric) Hybrid Waterlily. Bottom is Wanvisa

I was able to visit one of our customer's amazing waterlily pond, longtime water gardener Gary P. from Olympia, WA.

There are dozens of waterlilies in this pond, right next to the street so the neighborhood can enjoy them!

Gary has dedicated the past 40 years to his hobby raising waterlilies, which he has over 70 different varieties that he has acquired over the years from several different sources. He built his pond about 30 years ago especially for his waterlilies and also grows them in individual tubs on the ground.

Parallel lines are strung to deter Ospreys. An occasional Heron may visit but so far his fish are doing fine!

Gary’s pond is about 30,000 gallons with 1000 sf of surface area, 3’ deep in the center surrounded by shelves and cement walls lined with EPDM rubber liner without rocks. There are a lot of maintenance chores Gary does, so it is easier to maneuver around in the pond on bare liner. There is a simple spillway as a waterfall that provides aeration for the plants and koi fish but not too much water movement or splashing that could disrupt growth.

Waterlilies are grown in tubs, filled with water on the ground next to his pond and several dozens are growing in rows min his backyard

There are many ways to care for your waterlilies, and Gary has his own system that works well for his plants. He prefers to grow them in laundry baskets lined with weed barrier and anchored in rounded rocks about fist sized to help keep them in their pots and koi disturbing them. He also adds fertilizer 1-2 times a season, when he notices the leaves or bloom reducing- and it is worth the work!  Waterlilies are rotated from tubs to the pond every few years and divided when they outgrow their pots.

Waterlilies are grown in tubs on top of weed barrier. Gary sprays off aphids with hose water when they emerge in late summer

Whatever your water feature passion- create the pond of your dreams, tailored to your preferences whether it be the sound of water movement, caring for your pet fish or creating a water garden for plants and wildlife.  At Nature Perfect we are here to help you create and stock the water feature to fit your aspirations.