The first tool for the internet we are in the process of building is WaterlilyDatabase.com  a search-able online tool of waterlilies from around the world. Reaching out to international friends first like Primlarpwe have an extensive list in English now of most Thai waterlilies with photos and some with video. Séverine Lyssens-Danneboom is helping organize the German, Belgium, and other European waterlilies.

We also have many waterlilies from China and Belgium of all places. We do have plenty of other waterlilies from North America and Europe as well as species. 650 plants to start with and over 1400 photos. We also feature articles on hybridizers and gardens from around the world.

It is a true work of love as everyone is donating time to the project, over 30 contributors from around the world on 6 continents to date! This database search can also be added to empty webpages on your site!

We have Emily Grant Hutchings. One of George Prings most incredible night blooming waterlilies, this video though not narrated will stun you! Plant night bloomers only after water is well into the 70s constantly or you will put them to sleep for many weeks. They multiply easily so keeping some over the winter as tubers is no problem if you have watched our tuber storage videos from Ken Landon. Emily Grant Hutchings is pink with green pads, flowers open around dusk and stay open well into the next morning ot even noon if it is overcast.

Next, James Brydon is a red moderate to heavy blooming small to medium waterlily. The shape of the flowers is very pretty and this like most reds does well where summer temperatures are not too hot. If your average high in summer is above 92 degrees then red hardy waterlilies are to be avoided as they tend to turn black and get a cooked appearance after opening.

Finally we have Wood’s Blue Goddess, a favorite large blue waterlily created by Jack Wood in 1989. Flowers stand high above the water and the pads are green. The flowers are moderate to heavy depending on pot size and fertilizer.

Beginning in 2012 PondMegastore.com will have exclusive sales rights to the first of Mike Giles hardy waterlilies hybrids. Myra, Sunfire, Fairy Skirt, Yellow Giant, and Hunneycup. In 2013 as long as production goes well we will then bring you the first Purple and Blue hardy waterlilies from Mike Giles.

More Soon….
Zac – water-garden-blog.com / http://www.PondMegastore.com

Our lotus tubers ship with excellent growing tips. Only Lotus and water hawthorne are shipped as tubers. Our waterlilies and marginals arrive as adult sized plants usually with buds.

Lotus can be blooming in just 6 weeks from planting in warm weather. Plant shallow and wait to fertilize until you have a leaf standing above water. This is a tea-cup lotus in a 7 inch pot. The photos are taken during only 6 days from left to right. Medium and Large lotus need much larger containers.

Above is a larger 16 inch

Here you can see a tea cup lotus (front right), a small lotus (left), and a medium lotus (back). Each will need a little water each day in the summer as they will be heavy drinkers.  They will also love miracle grow once they have standing leaves.

This summer we will be documenting, Dasa Jin (large versicolor), Red Lantern (small / tea cup), Red Bowl, Loyalty Son, and Drunken Concubine out of Bath.

Later this week we begin rolling out Pond Megastore 3.0 with new improvements. The site will take a few week for all the new features but look forward to much easier navigation, many new pond products, much improved information on plants and planting information. The new site we hope will be more beneficial than any other water garden company has ever provided in the past.

Remember it will be rolled over time,  in steps over May 11th through June.

Please let PondMegastore.com know  what improvements you would like to see. We have almost 4000 facebook users taking advantage of our Facebook specials and information.

Shortly after our last post came a personal tragedy for our family. Our two year old, one and only nephew died on March 21st of a tragic accident. This is the reason for our delay in spring interests and writing.

We thank all those that know us for your thoughts and prayers. Our friends and family have been of great comfort. We intend to get back to sharing some spring interests right away.

Again – Thank you,

Zac

Tim Davis is a supporter of the International Waterlily Collection that makes many seven hour, week long pilgrimages from Houston Texas each year. It is clear that waterlilies are more than a full tim hobby for tim. He also runs the websites for the IWC and IWGS.

      On the right hand side of this blog there is a topic list which I hope can be used to find out what you need to know. Also the search bar at the top right corner should work. I will go back to more “new” questions soon but want to spend the last few weeks of summer tweaking some new areas of my own interest including lotus which I now want to know more about thanks to Paula, Kelly, and Warner. I still recommend the lotus book and am currently reviewing some of Warner’s work from Auburn in Alabama. I will share that with you soon as I will have some questions for him. I am now highly interested in lotus as a vegetable, I am going to wait for his recommendations on which varieties and for which part of the plant. I am not sure yet you want to fry up any old lotus. Perhaps in a year or two we can have varieties, and recipes to go with them. If the plants do come to market you can be sure this will be the place that makes one of the early announcements.  I have about 40 things I could post about here here every day for many weeks. I want to gather some information on a few more topics and bring them to you once or twice each week. I was thinking the winter would be slow and boring but with the IWGS connections I have plenty of new industry personnel that have decades of information to talk about. Anyone can join the IWGS and if you really enjoy water gardening I would suggest you join for free and read the journals every now and then. This industry is about 125 years old and the journey from the later 1800s to now is a fascinating read and there are many remarkable people along the way.

—Zac

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/too-much-news-is-really-good-news/feed/ 2 http://water-garden-blog.com/so-you-might-not-ever-see-the-first-blue-hardy-lily/ http://water-garden-blog.com/so-you-might-not-ever-see-the-first-blue-hardy-lily/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:07:44 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=1155       Unfortunately I did not stay until the end of St. Charles IL symposium. Over the weekend Pairat Songpanich, creator of “Nymphaea ‘Siam Blue Hardy’, spoke about the creation of the worlds first Blue hardy Waterlily. From what I know and I don’t know everything, there may not be a second plant. Though completely possible with today’s technology I believe, the plant will not produce seed as it is a cross between a hardy and tropical (once thought unlikely though now obviously possible). After about two years growing in Thailand the rhizome has not produced offspring along the rhizome. So far the plant is sterile. After nearly a week of pondering what I gathered from a simple conversation from Brandon McLane in about 10 minutes on a bus, I say maybe its a blessing.

This sign was in the window at a Illinois nursery we stopped at.

       If you have researched the different lilies hardy and tropical you will find many crosses produce amazing leaf patters, flower shapes, and a number of variables that seems to be multiplying every year. The waterlily is highly diverse. There are more colors, shapes, and patterns in the tropical lilies and those of us that appreciate this sell just enough tropicals each year to keep the hobby of hybridizing alive. One thing hardy lilies have not been blessed with until one special waterlily on the other side of the world is a blue or purple lily (among other in between and bright colors). I think there is a small chance that if we extend the entire color pallet to the hardy varieties then how will we be able to maintain a sufficient collection of our tropical friends. Already many varieties created in the early and mid 1900s cease to exist and many of those were hardy lilies. Growing up each year I had many tropicals lilies in our ponds. Each year like many gardens it would be completely different. Going to catalogs, and now the Internet you can discover the new colors, textures, lily pad mottling. If everything becomes hardy the cycle will slow down. It may not matter. In a few years we will be able to grow most anything to withstand disease, pests, choose our own color or patterns, but I doubt it will be as much fun as crossing two varieties and getting a half a dozen new plants that look perhaps wildly different.  For now, I am glad there is a blue hardy waterlily. It is nice to see what one would look like. I am happy someone created something that had not been done in over 100 years in attempts. I am happy he and his family can enjoy something special nobody else in the world has. I am also glad that the tropical industry still has its competitive edge, its a damn fun hobby to watch.

Zac

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/so-you-might-not-ever-see-the-first-blue-hardy-lily/feed/ 2 http://water-garden-blog.com/2010-water-lily-preview-buy-many-new-water-lilies-in-2009/ http://water-garden-blog.com/2010-water-lily-preview-buy-many-new-water-lilies-in-2009/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:31:29 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=1128          This post is more of a twitter announcement than an actual blog post but, get ready for some facinating new species for 2010. As I update this blog with photos of the 2009 new species growing this summer consider some great new colors for bogs, shelves, and water lilies for 2010. We hope to have a substantial supply and not to run out. To wet your appetite we should have a nice supply from Florida Aquatics growing facility in production of, Bulls Eye (Intense new red day bloomer), Coral Sky, perhaps Virginia McLane (I actually forget if we talked about that one), all 3 new introductions by the McLane’s Florida Aquatics. Other lilies are in production there including some introductions by Mr. Presnell. I will reavel more about those later. To get up to date on the Lilies introduced by Florida Aquatics visit http://www.floridaaquatic.com/articles_ultra_violet.html . Ultra Violet and another hybrid “Hybrid 5807″ which is one of many new intense tropicals are of high interest to many as the colors have not been developed before.  

Coral Sky (FAN introduction 2010)

Virginia McLane (FAN introduction 2010)

Foxfire (Presnell Introduction)

Ultra Violet (Winner 2008, FAN 2010 introduction)

 

 

 

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/2010-water-lily-preview-buy-many-new-water-lilies-in-2009/feed/ 1 http://water-garden-blog.com/iwgs-symposium-7-16-09-journal/ http://water-garden-blog.com/iwgs-symposium-7-16-09-journal/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:13:16 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=1094 Today was a fantasmic beginning to this weeks events. Highlights included much of the day at Chicago Botanical Gardens. A wonderful tour of much of the 6 miles of shoreline were visited. Hardy water lilies, bog plants, lotus and more including Japanese gardens, waterfalls, all among the other gardens and a great shoreline luncheon.  I got over 150 great photos. I met and talked with Tish Folsom of Springdale water gardens, leading the IWGS,  Rip Sokol and Lisa Giannino from two parts of Massachusetts, Verena Liechti &  Jim Purcell from Oregon, Warner Orozco-Obando of Auburn University, Brandon McLane of Florida Aquatics, Larry Nau of Churchville , Bergen Water Gardens, and many others. We stopped by Lurveys Nursery on the way home and attended a great evening dinner with Greg  of Aquascapes. He and his family invited us to a wonderful dinner in there backyard with absolutely amazing ponds and landscapes. Caterpillar

 

ButterflyFlower (milkweed) With Monarch Caterpillar Tropical Lilies, Floida Aquatics provided most water lilies present at Chicago Botanical and many around the country.

A few ducks swimming between hardy water lilies and pickerel rush. Pickerel was present in many parts of the gardens as well as some lotus, taro, arrowhead, arum, blue rush, and more

Tropical Lilies, Floida Aquatics provided most water lilies present at Chicago Botanical and many around the country.

More Friday or as time permits… the Aquatic Nursery Tour is tomorrow… -Zac

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/iwgs-symposium-7-16-09-journal/feed/ 3 http://water-garden-blog.com/iwgs-symposium-wed-7-15-2009/ http://water-garden-blog.com/iwgs-symposium-wed-7-15-2009/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:58:07 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=1092 Have been at the Pheasant Run Resort for about 5 hrs.  It is wonderful, so many acres, golf courses, 3 swimming pools, shopping center and own theater. I am calling it an early evening. Pics if I can get them uploaded tomorrow.

Zac

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/iwgs-symposium-wed-7-15-2009/feed/ 1 http://water-garden-blog.com/2009-international-water-garden-symposium/ http://water-garden-blog.com/2009-international-water-garden-symposium/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:20:11 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=1076 LIVE UPDATES FROM CHICAGO START TONIGHT!

St. Charles, IL home of the 2009 International Water Garden and Water Lily Symposium…

THE ONLINE WATER LILY AUCTION IS ACTIVE AND OPEN UNTIL SATURDAY!

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/2009-international-water-garden-symposium/feed/ 0 http://water-garden-blog.com/summer-perfection-part-1-my-perfect-bogs/ http://water-garden-blog.com/summer-perfection-part-1-my-perfect-bogs/#comments Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:54:06 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=1033       The following photos are of my dear friends Greg and Marcia’s pond. Rebuilt in the summer of 2004, Greg and Marcia had a preexisting pond and amazing outdoor train hobby collection Greg had maintained since I believe the early 1990s. Longtime pond owners Greg and Marcia had a fairly good idea of what they wanted.

This Bog is just next to the right hand waterfall down from an amazing Deck. Here you see silk stalking arrowheads, iris, creeping jenny, red star ludwigia, and neighboring water lettuce. Note how a good number of plants keep the water clear. Greg and Marcia have not added chemicals to the pond in years just beneficial bacteria and salt about once every spring.

       I consider one of my better pieces of input for clients and myself when I formerly installed water gardens was shallow bog areas I created at certain points along the edge of many ponds I built. Simply pockets along the edge of the line that remained 1-3 inches from the surface. Before filling the pond we would fill each of these pockets with dirt and plant the shelf level plants. The reason? Pots. Who wants to look a pots and containers right at the waters edge. My former ponds normally had one large bog that would go often along the backside of the pond and be a wonderful environment for lotus and taller plants. This pond however was in the middle of the back yard and extended to one small hillside. A long bog taking up the entirety of the pond would have created a block to the rest of the yard, so we incorporated 4 smaller pockets around the edges of the pond.  Two at the base and two on either side of what is now a double waterfall. Each pocket held about one wheel barrow full of dirt, topsoil and clay. After digging a 22 x 13 foot pond there is normally an excess of soil you can use. Since you fill the pod up after adding the dirt and planting the plants the pockets generally release no dirt or very little into the pond itself. Each year since I have planted different plants in Greg and Marcia’s four bog areas. Some plants are perennials and always come back like silk stalkings, obedient flowers, pickerel rush, and creeping jenny and some plants I chose different each year.

zoomed out bog with Dwarf Giant Papyurs, Society Fowers and Taro Plumbae,

Each bog acts as a sort of container garden with a variety of selections. This year has been my favorite. In two bogs I planted Red star ludwigia, normally thought of as an underwater submerged plant similar to things like anacharis in the bottom of a pond or fish tank. On my visit to Florida Aquatic Nurseries last summer I thought it highly interesting that many plants you find in pond shops and pet stores as underwater plants are grown in facilities above the water. They can grow in both and are more easily propagated as a kind of bog plant, trimmed, rubber-banded, and then submersed. In the following photo you can see the Red Star Ludwigia (Ludwigia glandulosa) is a striking contrast to the green creeping jenny and looks amazing as a bog plant. Red Star Ludwigia, to the left of the word Ohio. Unseen are dwarf giant papyrus and variegated society flower.

More photos of Greg & Marcia’s pond in full view on an upcoming post and the two waterfalls. 

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/summer-perfection-part-1-my-perfect-bogs/feed/ 5 http://water-garden-blog.com/meet-me-in-st-charels/ http://water-garden-blog.com/meet-me-in-st-charels/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:18:30 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=863       In a few days we will be heading west to St. Charles for the annual symposium. This years 5 day tour will feature Mr. Pairat Songpanich from Thailand. A special auction, local garden tours, a tour of the aquascapes building and facility, a Biotope Tour at Elgin Community College. And much more. Early registration is past however you can still sign up for the entire event for $599 per person and split a hotel room at a special even rate of $120 per night. Split your hotel room with a friend or spouse and split that cost. This is most likely the worlds largest annual international water lily and lotus event.

Thailand Symposium, named water lotus tanks. See more photos at IWGS.org

Lotus and Lilies are sacred in many cultures...This made the Thailand symposium ever more interesting to experience, I did not make it.

The Aquascape Company and Building tour and talk I believe is going to focus heavily on building amidst the green movement. Collecting rainwater to use in your garden and other new features.

Aquascapes is known across the united states for professional installation services and exclusive contractor certified installations of good equipment. My hope is that in the future they focus one year on education of the complete ecosystem of the ponds with plants instead of product and chemical solutions. Perhaps this will be the year?

I will try live posting from the days and events. We will see how that works. Plenty more coming up including some really interesting information later this month!

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/meet-me-in-st-charels/feed/ 6 http://water-garden-blog.com/2010-aquatic-plants/ http://water-garden-blog.com/2010-aquatic-plants/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:10:45 +0000 admin http://water-garden-blog.com/?p=767 What I mean to say is I want to know over the next 6 weeks or so what additional species you would like to see from our nurseries. We offer more aquatic species than any other retail supplier in the world thanks to our superior Florida growers who are constantly creating new impressive species but they also can grow common or native species. In 2008 we brought out the striped dazzler bog lily and hope to get more in production. This year Brad and Brandon gave us the Giant Star Grass, Orange Sedge, and Taro Plumbae which I am enjoying growing for the first time.

They also introduced the orange snowflake which is much larger than I had imagined. In fact when they shipped some to a friend of mine my first thought was surley I did not request this many lilies. Then I saw the orange buds and realized, oh my this is the orange snowflake! Much larger than the small white and yellow varieties.

This season with their help we added Lemon Bacopa, Rotala, Moneywort, dwarf sagitaria, jungle vallisineria, and my favorite Red Star Ludwigia. Why my favorite? I planted this in Greg and Marcia’s pond in mid May and as a bog plant not a submerged plant. Some creeping jenny is in the bog with it that came back from last year and the two look amazing next to one another. They have variegated society garlic (society flowers) standing above them and the contrast is amazing.

Along with and abundance of new lilies, tropicals are my favorite. Jack Wood, Purple Zanzibar, and others like Southern Charm were instant hits. The tropical night blooming lilies Jennifer Rebecca and Texas Shell Pink have sold to untold numbers of people.

I want to hear from you. I need to know by mid July what plants you want to see. Send your questions to pondmegastore@yahoo.com.   Thank you – Zac

]]> http://water-garden-blog.com/2010-aquatic-plants/feed/ 2