Nymphaea 'Marliacea Albida'
water lily
- Position: full sun
- Depth of water: 45-75cm (18-30in)
- Rate of growth: average
- Ultimate spread: 120cm (48in)
- Height above surface: 0-10cm (0-4in)
- Flowering period: June to September
- Hardiness: fully hardy
A free-flowering variety that produces a profusion of fragrant, bowl-shaped, double white flowers with prominent yellow centres from June to September. 'Marliacea Albida' is the most popular white water lily in cultivation. Best planted at a depth of 45-75cm (18-30in), it needs plenty of space, so makes an excellent choice for a lake or large, deep, wildlife pond, where the dark green leaves create a shady underwater habitat for native fish and amphibians. The shade cast by the foliage also helps to check the spread of algae. - Garden care: Plant firmly in a hessian-lined aquatic planting basket filled with aquatic compost. Apply a 2.5cm (1in) top-dressing of pea shingle or gravel to prevent the top layer of the planting medium from clouding the water. The crown of the plant should protrude slightly above the surface of the planting basket. Raise the basket on bricks when the plant is young, gradually lowering them as the plant matures, so that the leaves float on the surface.
Nymphaea 'Pygmaea Rubra'
water lily
Dwarf variety with warm red flowers. Ideal for a small pond
Gunnera manicata
Chile rhubarb
Dramatic, huge leaves. Great beside water
Aponogeton distachyos
water hawthorn
Unusual orchid-like flowers twice a year
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