Nymphaea 'Gladstoniana'

water lily

• Position: full sun
• Depth of water: 90-240cm (36-96in)
• Rate of growth: fast-growing
• Ultimate spread: 250cm (96in)
• Height above surface: 0-10cm (0-4in)
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Huge, white, star-shaped flowers up to 30cm (12in) across with prominent yellow centres float on large lily pads from June to September. This award-winning water lily forms a wonderful floating carpet of wavy-margined, dark green leaves. 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.