Water Garden Journal

International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society WATER GARDEN JOURNAL

SUMMER Vol. 29, No. 2 2014 P. 2 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

IN THIS ISSUE 03 President’s Letter President Mike Swize previews a busy summer ahead. 04 Club Corner Vicki Aber describes clubs volunteering at local public water gardens. 05 Home Gardening Primer Protecting pond fi sh from predators. 06 Book Review Two new water garden books are reviewed. 07 IWGS 2014 Symposium An overview of the upcoming IWGS The Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver, Colorado, USA, the 2014 symposium. location of the 2014 IWGS Annual Symposium. Photo courtesy 08 Before-After of Tamara Kilbane. Transforming a swimming pool to a natural water pond. 09 Search for the Blue Lotus Misleading and unethical online plant sellers promise the impossible. 10 Grower’s Corner The miracle of seeds long forgotten is explored by David Curtright. 12 Project How to create a table-top container water garden is detailed by Soni Fors- man. 13 Events Calendar Water garden events from around the world in the coming months. Goldfi sh Bowl container water 14 Touching Your Water Garden garden to be planted with Doug Rose details his experiences as Acorus gramineus “Ogon’ a blind water gardener. (golden sweetfl ag); Myosotis scorpiodies (blue water forget- Floating island garden photo On the Cover me-not); and Lobelia chinensis by Pierre E.G. Dapaepe of Waterlily Nymphaea violacea at the (Chinese creeping lobelia). Riverside Aquatics, www. Denver Botanic Gardens. Photo by Photo by Soni Forsman. riversideaquatics.co.za. Tamara Kilbane. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 3 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

President’s Letter A Busy Summer Season Ahead

Hello everyone, as I write this article it is only a few days away from the ofﬁ cial start of summer, and what a busy summer it will be for the IWGS. First we have our New Waterlily Competition in full swing at Denver Botanic Gardens. The 2014 contest is shaping up to be another excellent one with 31 entries! The contest plants will be on display until they are ofﬁ cially judged by a select panel in early September and the public online voting will start in (??) and run through late August. Be sure to check out the IWGS website to vote for your favorite.

Second up on the list is the 2014 Shanghai International Waterlily Exhibition and the 2nd Shanghai Lotus Ex- hibition Symposium. This symposium will be held at Guyi Gardens in Shanghai. The IWGS is a co-sponsor of the event. James Allison and I will be traveling to Shanghai as the guests of Guyi Gardens. James and I along with Diake Tian will give presentations at the symposium and to give advice on the waterlily collection at Guyi Gardens

Finally is the 2014 IWGS Symposium, to be held in beautiful Denver Colorado. Aug 14th -17th. The Sympo- sium will include visits to one of the top botanic gardens in North America, Denver Botanic Gardens. They are well-known for their strong tradition of beautiful aquatic plant displays. To our great fortune, this year’s visit will coincide with a display by internationally renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose work will be featured throughout the grounds of Denver Botanic Gardens. For more information on the symposium, please refer to pages 6 of this issue or check out the IWGS website at www.IWGS.org.

Have a great summer, Michael Swize IWGS President [email protected] P. 4 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

Club Corner Volunteering Together by Vicki Aber Clubs exist for many purposes. Mostly it is social, a way to share your hobby with like-minded people. Another is education, longtime hobbyists sharing information with newer members or the public in general and often getting new information back. Another possible purpose is volunteerism. It is very satisfying to see people admiring a public display, either in a public garden, park, or even natural body of water and know you had a hand in making it beautiful. Our club organizes helpers at Denver Botanic Gardens and Hudson Gardens. We have also had a hand in parks and a natural body of water. It is really not a diffi cult chore to set this up. Someone needs to be the organizer and initially recruit volunteers. After a while, in our case anyway, word gets out how rewarding the work is and the volunteers arrive with a minimal amount of arm twisting. The person in charge also needs to liaise with the offi cial in charge of the location where the work will be done. Time and number of volunteers are determined and arranged. It helps to feed the workers; we usually provide donuts since it is often a morning work session. Our club has been doing this with Denver Botanic Gardens for years. The main work session is several weeks in the spring and then again in the fall. Workers meet on Sunday morning and stay until the work is done. Tamara Kilbane is the curator of the water gardens and she assigns the tasks. Other individuals volunteer at various other times during the year as their schedule allows. Tamara makes the work fun and has a vast storehouse of knowledge to share. Hudson Gardens is a little different. Bob Hoffman has been volunteering there for years. They have learned what a great asset he is and pretty much given him free reign with the water features. He has some helpers from the club and elsewhere that get together when they need to and get the work done. Aside from the pleasure of knowing you had a hand in such a magnifi cent display, there are many other benefi ts. There is no better way to learn the ins and outs of the hobby than by doing. You learn how to plant, when to plant, and how to care for the plants and water features. You learn a ton about the plants. The only down-side is that it gives you lots of ideas of what you want in your own pond. This often leads to expanding the pond or building another one; you get the picture. When you run out of space in your own yard, you still have the public garden to play in. Every year we have a Water Blossom Festival. We get together to acknowledge the volunteers and to admire the water features. This year, our festival coincides with the IWGS Symposium. We are very excited to share all the great things that have been happening at Denver Botanic Gardens and Hudson Gardens with a much larger group. Please join us for the symposium it is really shaping up to be a great time. About the Author Vicki Aber is the newest IWGS board member. She is also a member of the Colorado Water Garden Society (CWGS) and has served there as a board member and an offi cer, including the position of president. She can be contacted via email at [email protected]. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 5 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

Home Gardening Primer How to Deter Visiting Pond Predators Everyone Has Enemies There are many predators that love to hunt fi sh. And when we give them shiny gold targets to go for, it makes their jobs even easier. Two of the usual sus- pects in the missing fi sh line-up are the raccoon and the heron. There are others, but these are the two most prevalent in the hobby. For the raccoon, you have to fi rst remember he doesn’t mind getting his hands wet, but will probably not pur- posely go for a swim to catch a fi sh. He can be held at bay by the way the pond is designed. A plant shelf that is too shallow will help him snag a fi sh every time.

Predator Tip Provide your fi sh with plenty of hiding spots including fi sh caves, bridge, and plant cover. Keeping Them Safe For the heron, things get a little more challenging. They are very crafty and smart birds and you should not underestimate them. There are many methods Another decoy on the market is a motion-activated available to keep them or scare them away from your sprinkler called a Scarecrow (picturedpictured above). When pond – from plastic heron statue replicas to fl oating the predator gets close enough, the motion sensor will alligator decoys and motion-activated sprinkler. These activate, and the visitor will get a quick blast of water options to ward him off all offer varying levels of suc- that is quite startling. (Warning: this works on human cess for every water garden hobbyist. visitors too!) Life Without Fish? Never! In early spring, these birds return to your area and look for feeding grounds. As they fl y overhead to see where Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to the fi sh are, your colorful fi sh stand out like a fast have fun with your fi sh, and to remember that all of food restaurant. Your fi rst defense is to use a decoy of these occurrences are case specifi c. You may never see some sort, whether it is heron or alligator decoy. They a heron or raccoon in your backyard, your fi sh may be work better if you keep moving them around the pond disinterested in your plants, and there may be no bul- to fool the heron into thinking they are real. Herons lying in the pond. would rather not feed in the same water as an alligator, Who knows, maybe you’ll be lucky and avoid all and if they see that another bird has staked out your three. After a season or two, you will remember what backyard already, they are more likely to move on to your life was like before fi sh. You’ll undoubtedly real- the next available spot. ize that the pleasure of pond fi sh far outweighs a life As we move into summer, just like us, they develop a without fi nned friends. routine and may even forget about your pond. So the Article Source trick is to move the decoy about every three days in Aquascape, St. Charles, IL, USA. www.aquascapeinc.com. the spring and every couple of weeks in the summer. P. 6 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

a bog garden can be put together with three plants Book Reviews in a container dropped into a basket. Larger outdoor New Water Gardening Books containers are detailed, with plant lists and design possibilities. Fountains described are small, but more Better Homes and Gardens complicated to build and maintain, with pumps, level Water Gardening reservoirs, liners, pea gravel and river rock, screening, Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. electrical outlets. Ponds and pools in- List Price: $19.99 volve engineering, skimming off debris, Reviewer: Camilla Clocker plumbing, numerous plants, masonry. The fi rst thing I do when I pick up A rain garden requires a shallow de- this type of book is fan through all the pression to capture runoff, with plants pages looking at the photographs, fan- limited to natives. tasizing about wanting all of it. Water A water garden site plan encompasses Gardening is intended for the average the entire property, with master plans, homeowner, so sizes and complexi- excavations, project timelines, boul- ties are limited. Water gardens can be der moving, professional contractors, installed in several shapes and adapted trenches, edgings, seating arrangements, to many spaces: ponds, pools, foun- paths and bridges, sculpture, more fi sh. tains, waterfalls and cascades, streams, Pond liners come in fl exible sheets or dry creeks, rain gardens, bog gardens, preformed shapes; pumps are avail- and container gardens. Fish, plants, and critters con- able for ponds, waterfalls, fountains, tribute to healthy ecosystems. Three types of plants spillways, streams; mechanical fi ltration, skimmers — submerged, fl oating, and marginal — when planted and clarifi ers, fi lters and pipes, building codes, electri- together keep the water clean and the fi sh healthy. cal switches and power lines, landscape lighting—all Floating plants require no potting, so will grow in any touched on and accompanied by lovely photographs. depth, including shallow containers. Too many fl oat- The garden-building sections, from simple in-a-week- ing or submerged plants can reduce oxygen and pro- end projects to time-consuming construction, have duce wide pH swings, so their areas should be limited materials lists, anatomical drawings, photographs dur- to half the pool size. Marginal plants soften edges, ing construction, plant lists, and pot sizes and shapes. with heights from two inches to six feet, and provide Caring for water gardens is the hard part. The pro- food and shelter for wildlife. Goldfi sh, orfes, and koi, cedure is lengthy, beginning with “know your water” like any pets, need reliable care-taking. Koi grow to (buy a testing kit) through “feed the fi sh.” Each season three-feet-long, and have a huge appetite for plants. demands specifi c tasks. Spring begins with weeding Detailed instructions are given for introducing new fi sh and mulching, skimming, spending time with the fi sh; to a pond, feeding and training them, then retaining summer means fertilize plants, keep the water mov- good health. Critters taking up residence at your pond, ing, watch out for predators, clean the pump weekly; together with plantings, support a balanced ecosystem, fall calls for moving fl oating plants indoors, placing with the exception of bullfrogs and some turtles, who netting over ponds; winter means stop feeding the fi sh, devour goldfi sh and koi. Birds and butterfl ies need but set out seed mixes for birds. shallow entries to and perches around water gardens, This book is delightful, but I will stop with a tabletop in addition to food and shelter plants. The plant ency- dish. clopedia at the end of the book suggests easy-to-grow About the Author plants for gardens of all sizes. Camilla Clocker is on the board of directors of Friends The bulk of Water Gardening is concerned with of Green Spring Gardens and of Del Ray Artisans, designing and constructing all types of gardens. The teaches using imagination in creative writing at a beginning gardener can set up a table-top fl oating cen- senior center in Fairfax County, VA, USA, and writes terpiece using a kitchen bowl and three plants. Even indexes for books and periodicals. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 7 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

The Flower of Empire: An Amazonian Water Lily, The Quest to Make it Bloom, 2014 IWGS Symposium and the World it Created Denver, Colorado By Tatiana Holway The 2014 IWGS Symposium will take place in Den- Published by Oxford University Press ver, Colorado from August 14th – 16th with an ad- List Price: $29.95 ditional optional day of tours to the Rocky Mountains Reviewer: Jeannie Suffern on August 17th. Denver Botanic Gardens, Hudson While this fascinating Gardens, and the Colorado Water Garden Society will book focuses on the his- serve as local hosts for this event. tory of the discovery of the colossal Amazonian Attendees of the conference will have the opportunity water lily, known as Vic- to visit top botanic gardens in the region, learn from toria Regia during a time water gardening experts, view world class artwork, that is known as “the Age and mingle with other water gardening enthusiasts of Flowers” in England, from around the world. Highlights of the symposium it also provides a compre- were detailed in the last issue of the IWGS Journal. hensive look at the history Special symposium hotel rates are available for of Victorian arts, culture $99/night plus tax and can be booked by clicking on and botany The book in- the link provided on the conference page of the IWGS troduces you to powerful website (www.IWGS.org). and brilliant men of the period, such as Sir Joseph Banks, Sir William Jack- Meals provided with conference registration will son Hooker, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at include lunches and catered dinners on the 15th and Kew, to the extravagant ﬂ ower collector the Duke of 16th. The separate registration for Sunday’s optional Devonshire, and the Duke’s gardener, Joseph Paxton, tour will include lunch and beer at a local brewery. who were all tied together by their fascination with Discounted vouchers for the full hot breakfast buffet the Victoria, and their drive to bring it to England in at our host hotel will be available for purchase upon order to get it to ﬂ ower and thrive there. The Victoria check-in. A small cafe offering Starbucks coffee and was used as the concept behind the creation of the pastries is also on site. We will have a hospitality famous “Crystal Palace,” a huge glasshouse designed room reserved at the hotel until midnight each eve- by Joseph Paxton for the 1851 World Fair. This book ning for attendees to enjoy a drink and to socialize is written in a very chatty, informal style, and provides after each day’s events. fascinating insights to the world of botany. We hope you will join us for the 2014 Symposium in Denver! A registration form is on page 14 of the About the Author Spring 2014 issue of the IWGS Journal and is posted Jeannie Suffern is with Aqualine Aquatic Plants & Wa- on the IWGS website. terfeatures, 23211 - Twp Rd 514, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada, (780) 467-3450, www.aqualinewaterfeatures. About the Author com. Tamara Kilbane is Senior Horticulturist of Aquatic Plants at Denver Botanic Gardens and serves on the IWGS Board of Directors. She can be contacted through [email protected]. P. 8 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

Before-After Transform Your Life with a Natural Swimming Pool by Elma Pollard Resistance to change can cost us our civilization. That we need to change how the privileged portion of our world lives, is no longer in dispute. Yes, I am talking about you and I – people with access to the internet. But how to go about it and where to start? If you have a swimming pool, then that is a good place. If you, like me, have always felt uneasy about swimming in a chemical soup, you might need no motivation. If this has never occurred to you, it is time to become informed. Here is some information about those dangers http://thegreentimes.co.za/build-your- own-ﬂ oating-island-for-a-natural-pool/. Towards the end of last year it was time to put my green commitment to the test and transform my salt- water pool into a natural pond – and an oasis for a vibrant new source of beauty and life. I was not inclined to follow the pricey route of circulating water between

a pool and a pond of the same size, where the water is Floating island garden photos by Pierre E.G. Dapaepe of Riverside Aquatics, fi ltered by plants. Greening being expensive is one of www.riversideaquatics.co.za. the excuses that slowing down the modern world’s rate of transforming. So I’ll share here my easy and inex- creatures who crawl along the walls eating algae. And pensive transition plan. so we learn daily from nature. Next we welcomed the skaters and many more creatures. The birds come I asked my friend Pierre Depaepe from Riverside bathing and drinking and also amongst our feathered Aquatics to build a fl oating island using only natural friends there are daily surprises. materials. A fl oating island needs to cover roughly 10% of the surface of your pool. He promptly arrived Finally dragonfl ies arrived and moved in en masse, with bamboo sticks sawn from the wetland beyond our signalling pure water, as these fussy creatures have the wall, coir fi bre, coir netting, compost, and plants, and highest standards. Riding along for their short lives, set to work. See the fi lm we made about this process: they surrender their breath serenely holding onto a leaf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twFG-uelsoA. We at the end, leaving their exoskeletons as a reminder of inserted a variety of plants, some semi-aquatics and our departed guests. others simply pulled from my garden, to absorb the How does this benefi t the environment and my health? nutrients from the water and so purify my pool. We no longer pump sodium into the environment, This was the inception of a fl oating oasis where daily killing all life in the process. Our pump still runs, a new resident arrives. At fi rst the plant growth was but half the usual time, so saving 50% energy. I have slow, then we introduced paradise fi sh. Their drop- arranged the backwash pipe along the vegetable beds pings feed the plants, which responded with vigor. To and pierced holes in it. So nutritious water now waters clear the green walls, we introduced daphnia – tiny the food garden. Here is our irrigation rainbow with drinking seedlings. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 9 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

Rain water from the roof will be piped to the pool this winter, becoming our new water reservoir. In time we Search for the Blue Lotus can extend this system and pump water from the pool Recently shared on the IWGS discussion list (LetsTal to the house to become water independent, purifying [email protected]) was this enter- that which we drink. taining post by Paul Biles ([email protected]): But for now nothing could beat my twice daily swim When buying aquatics it seems that people still believe in the natural mountain pool – no need to bath as we everything they read on the internet. They think it is are naturally refreshed and revived as part of a vibrant possible to buy cheap plants of the latest hybrids or and growing ecosystem. A beautiful and alive water seeds of colors that do not exist. Are they crazy? feature provides not only a refreshing respite from the It’s probably nicer to call them uninformed dreamers harsh African summers, but also soothes the soul in a who really truly want to believe that they’ve lucked world straining to learn the lessons of our time. into seeds for a blue lotus. About the Author They don’t understand that getting aquatics on ebay Elma Pollard is the Editor and Executive Director: is like using a roulette wheel to purchase accurately Green Times Publications NPC in South Africa. She named plants that will actually grow. Chances are can be reached at [email protected]. excellent that you will waste your money. As they say, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t [true].” They don’t understand that it is simple to change the color of any ﬂ ower picture using PhotoShop. As an April Fool’s Day joke, Kelly and I posted a blue lotus on our Facebook page last year and people tried to buy it! It generated all sorts of interest, even though we commented that Adobe was one of the pollen parents. Finally, we had to explain it was a fake and how it was made. If you want a laugh, read the comments. So the moral of this story is we should get more information out to the general public about lilies and lotus, especially new hybrids. Regularly provide news and photos of new varieties. Constantly educate the public about aquatics. Help them enjoy the beauty of lotus and lilies. And never ever buy cheap land in Florida or bridges in Brooklyn. Aquatically Yours, Paula Biles PS Here are some ebay listings that are obvious fakes: • http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-pcs-Chinese-Lotus- Seeds-Nelumbo-Nucifera-Blue-Water-Lily-Pond- Plant-Sacred-/120873553930 • http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Blue-Lotus-Seeds-Wa- ter-Lily-Pad-Nymphaea-Nelumbo-Nucifera-Pond- Plants-Flower-/161251174961 • http://www.ebay.com/itm/10PCS-Mini-Blue-Lotus- Seeds-Water-Lily-Pad-Nymphaea-Nelumbo-Nucifera- Pond-Plant-/161251218108 P. 10 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal Grower’s Corner The Miracle of Seeds By David Curtright

My lack of faith in a supreme being notwithstanding, I must occasionally declare that some things represent plausible arguments for evidence of miracles in this world. One case in point is the ability of seeds to survive diverse adversities including, but not limited to, profound desiccation; inundation in water, fresh or foul; frost or fi re, with some even welcoming one or the other of them; random burial; storage in bags of plastic, paper, waxed or otherwise; the bottoms of boxes or drawers; tombs; passage through the guts of animals, and so forth. You get the point. As many of us do, I sometimes recycle soil, and sometimes the odd seedling comes up in new pottings with old soil. After Chara, Cattails and Scirpus cernuus represent the bulk of the volunteers, but occasionally, I am surprised by the appearance of some long-lost species. For many years I kept a plant that many consider a weed. Indeed, I have condemned it as a weed as I’ve thrown it away by the fi stful. Nevertheless, it remains for me a sentimental favorite because of the time and from whom I originally got it. The plant is Heteranthera reniformis, or Mud Plantain. Many of you know that it is a member of the Pontederiaceae, which relates it to Pickerel Plants and Water Hyacinth. The distinguishing features of this little beauty are its habit of creeping along in very shallow water, producing bright, glossy green, 1" diam- eter, heart-shaped leaves, each with a small white spot at the apex of the sinus. The fl owers are typical of the family, being white to blue in color with narrow petals, and occurring in infl orescences of 3 to 6 blossoms. Over the years, my supply of Heteranthera has come and gone with the seasons, but I always had some of it somewhere until several years ago when it suddenly wasn’t there anymore. “Oh well”, I thought, ‘Some things just aren’t meant to hang around forever,” and went on with my life. A couple of years later, it came back in the recycled soil of a new waterlily potting, ready for another round of abuse from me. I kept it for several years after that, but eventually lost it again. The last one that I saw was about three years ago. It was a lone specimen that was growing in an Azolla-choked pond full of Nelumbo lutea. I saw it in passing while I was collecting for orders, and I recall thinking that I was being given another chance, and that I would have to rescue it from being buried by the Azolla, and from the drying out of the tank that would almost inevitably occur in the summer. I never got to it, and it was lost again. There is a tank in one of my greenhouses where I kept Nymphoides peltata last year, allowing them to natural- ize in the old, recycled mud substrate. I moved the plants last winter and allowed the mud to dry out to make it easier to haul out. I let it get very dry, but when it was time to move it out of the tank, I suddenly changed my mind, thinking that it might be a good place to allow some Aponogeton crispus seedlings to develop. I’m always trying to grow them from seeds, and the question of how to speed their development has vexed me. Old mud seemed like a good thing to try as a substrate, so I fl ooded the tank again and planted some A. crispus seedlings in it. It took about two weeks, but several obviously non-Aponogeton seedlings came up among the growing A. crispus and patches of Chara. They were monocots of some sort, but when a random monocot seedling comes up, I have to wonder what it is. It might be an Alismaceid (Sagittaria, Echinodorus, Alisma, etc.), or a species of Typha, or any of the several members of Pontederiaceae that I’ve had over the years, or even Nymphoides peltata, which in this case seemed likely. The truth emerges as the seedling puts on its third, fourth, or fi fth leaf. N. peltata produces a distinctly peltate leaf on a suddenly extended stem, while Sagittaria species continue to International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 11 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

put on subulate leaves until they must either come out of the water with a lanceolate or ovate leaf, going on to sagittate leaves if that is what the species does; Typha makes longer subulate leaves until it fi nally stands up out of the water, and a Pontederiaceid eventually forms the familiar chordate leaf that distinguishes them from the rest of the possibilities. In this case, several of the seedlings were soon seen to be Nymphoides peltata, and others proved to be Sagittaria montevidensis, two of which were in that tank last summer for a brief stay. But about 20 of them are Heteranthera reniformis! Where the seeds came from, or how long they’ve been waiting around for the right chance to grow is anybody’s guess, but the fact is that they are there. None of the soil in the tank came from the N. lutea tank. There are at least two ways to look at this phe- nomenon. One is to say that it is a great way to get plants back, and lots of them, and the fact that seeds will store for long periods of time means that we can keep species (not varieties!) in our collections even if we can’t keep them growing all of the time. The other way to look at it is to say that this is why some states don’t want an increasing number of our favorite plants in their waters, and why using recycled soil is not a good idea because of all of the bad things that might come out of it. In my case, the predominant species to come out of old mud is Chara sp., but when you learn that the state of Maine has banned N. peltata, and that Minnesota has banned hyacinth because the seeds survive even those winters, it must make one think of the potential for localized disasters. The incredible power of seeds to survive adversity must engender some respect for the idea of limiting the distribution of some plants. Eradicating these plants from native waters without bankrupting the state, or destroying everything else in the water is challenging at best, and nearly impossible in many cases. A case in point is the problems that many states have with Lythrum salicaria, which has no endemic enemies, and which produces millions of seeds each season. So, while I will continue to use old soil in my pottings, both because old soil is best for some young or vulner- able plants, and it is less expensive than mixing new soil, I know that I might be the benefi ciary of a phenom- enon that could generate a terrible weed, or maybe, just maybe, I will retrieve a long-lost friend in the form of a beloved plant that I believed to have been lost from my collection. About the Author David Curtright owns Freshwater Flora & Fauna, Inc., Escondido, San Diego County, CA, USA. Web site: http://pond-plants.com. Email: [email protected]. P. 12 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal Project ‘Mix-up’ a Table-top Container Water Garden by Soni Forsman Ingredients: • Sliver or two of dagger leaf/fl at sedge (Juncus ensi- folius) as the “thriller” • 2 or 3 pinches of chameleon plant (Houttuynia cor-cor- data) for the “fi ller” • Smidgen of dwarf/red-stemmed parrot feather Myrio- phyllum papillosum) as a “spiller” • Optional garnish – small water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Select a small watertight decorative/unique container that holds one to two quarts of water, empty. I used a 10-inch batter bowl. The inside container should sit comfortably in the outer one but shallow enough for water to just cover its top. Crumble a fertilizer tab or two and mix with the dirt. Plant the thriller in the center surrounded by the fi ller. Add a piece or two of the spiller. It will look sparse after assembling but the plants fi ll in quickly. If desired, tuck a small water hyacinth between the two containers. Fertilize mid-summer. Add water as needed. Container garden photos by Soni Forsman. It is diffi cult to select just the right amount of the Caption - Container for plants sits comfortably in the batter bowl. thriller and spiller. Each year, one grows more rapidly than the other. Regardless, I’m always pleased with the fi nished look. A comment I hear frequently, “I could do that.” Add a water-garden related décor to complete the wa- tery scene. Place on a patio table in a sunny location. Enjoy! Note: When making plant selections, check that they are legal to purchase and/or possess in your state or country. About the Author Soni Forsman lives in Eagan MN. She can be reached at [email protected]. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 13 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

Events Calendar Here is a listing of water garden-related events from June 1-October 1, 2014, taking place around the world. If you would like to submit 2014 water garden events for the next edition of the Journal, please send your detailed listing by June 1 to [email protected].

Shanghai International Lotus Aqua Nor 2014 August 19-22, 2014 and Waterlily Exhibition The Aqua Nor trade shows are held biennially in June 28 - August 28, 2014 Trondheim, and recent events have attracted 15,000- Exhibition with 350 kinds of lotus plants. Also features 20,000 visitors from more that 50 nations. rare plants including ‘Red Peony,’ ‘Space No. 36,’ ‘Big There are 400 exhibitors representing more than 600 Brocad,’ and ‘Drunken Concubine.’ Guyi Garden, 218 manufacturers and suppliers from all over the world Huyi Road near Zhongren Road, Jiading District, 0, present current developments in the fi elds of aquacul- Shanghai, China. ture technology, fi sh feed, fi sh health, quality assur- ance, training, funding, fi sh farmer networks, grading, 2014 Twin Cities Pond equipment, storage, processing, packaging, environ- and Landscape Tour mental protection and distribution. July 26-27, 2014 For details, visit http://nor-fi shing.no/. Each year on the last weekend in July, the non profi t Minnesota Water Garden Society showcases a group of 16th Flora of Thailand private ponds and gardens for the public to enjoy. The MWGS Tour is a self guided tour from 9 AM to 5 PM Conference at Kew Gardens Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27. September 7-12, 2014, 10am to 5pm There are 13 gorgeous sites, grouped together to Thai botany and the European connection: Building on facilitate easy touring. Locations include New Hope, 100 years of collaboration. This week-long conference Plymouth, St. Louis Park, Minnetonka, Eden Prarie, at Kew in the UK will discuss topics related to the Edina, Bloomington, Eagan, Prior Lake and Elko. fl ora of Thailand and the ‘European connection.’ There is quite a variety, from a 250 gallon pond near a Sessions are planned on the following topics: patio to two swimmable ponds of thousands of gallons. ~ Systematics and taxonomy of Thai plants MWGS members and the home owners will be on ~ Floristics of Thailand at national and regional level hand to share their experiences and answer your ques- ~ Conservation and the Thai Flora tions. All sites have beautiful “regular” gardens, some ~ Europe and the Flora of Thailand: past, present and with unique landscaping, in addition to the pond and future water garden. Registration fees after 1 July 2014: Full (Residents For more information regarding sites, as well as ad- of Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, vance ticket purchase ($15) go to MWGS.ORG or call Myanmar, Vietnam) £40; Full (all other countries) 612 803 POND(7663). Tickets can also be purchased £300; Student (Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, onsite the days of the tour for $20. Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam) Free; and, Student (all other countries) £150. For details, visit: http://www.kew.org/visit-kew- gardens/whats-on/16th-fl ora-thailand-conference. P. 14 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 29, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

Touching Your Water Garden How to Water Garden Without Seeing By Doug and Patti Rose As an avid water gardener who is blind, I have been asked by sighted gardeners how do you garden and what do you enjoy about water gardening since you have no vision? It took some refl ection on my part to discover why I enjoy water gardening other than I just knew it felt good. I have been without sight most of my life. I grew up on a farm and enjoyed farming, but it all changed to a new level once I started water gardening. My sighted wife and I have been water gardening as a hobby and as a business. The sounds, sensations, and odors involved with water gardening are unique compared to the rest of nature. I never get bored with listening to water features and all the various sounds you can make them create. It can be a simple trickle sound to a more intense rushing sound. when fl owing. Perhaps this is why fi sh swim into the Originally, I disliked the softer trickle sounds. But fl ow of a waterfall. as can happen with music, I have come to acquire an appreciation for the gentle trickle. To me a waterfall I am continuously fascinated by the feel of waterlily sounds like a jazz composition. Even though the fl ow leaves fl oating and their various sizes, shapes, and rate is consistent, the water will create variations in sinus constructions. The stems are hollow and make sound over time. for good drinking straws. When I touch a dying leaf and stem, I sense a different feel from healthy counter- I have spent countless hours experimenting with the parts as they are soft. In murky water, my sighted wife sound by placing rocks or other objects in the fl ow often asks me to feel inside the pot of waterlilies and to create new water melodies. Hopefully the sound see how many growing points have developed. I have changes I make are also visually pleasing. also made braille labels for the waterlilies. They aren’t affected by nature like print labels are, therefore I can Other sounds I have noted are the kissing sounds fi sh always tell her which plant is which. The braille dots make when they feed or the distinct sounds of dragon- on plastic are resilient so they never break down or fl ies when they move. Every summer night is fi lled become unreadable by a covering of algae. with the courting sounds of frogs. But it is not just the sounds that make water features so attractive. Repotting a waterlily is like uncovering a mystery. It is easy to divide waterlilies by touch. The anchor roots There are many unique sensations to be felt. Water and the feeder roots are easily distinguished and the has a smooth fl at surface feeling and a therapeutic feel growing points are easy to fi nd. With a little experi- International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 15 Water Garden Journal Vol. 29, No. 2

ence, I can fi nd new plants and separate them from the old root stock with just my sense of touch. Most marginal plants can be identifi ed by touch or fragrance. Aquatic mint and acorus both have a distinct smell. Grasses are obvious and some have edges. Corkscrew rush curls and iris have strap leaves. Float- ing hearts might be a bit of a challenge because some waterlilies have small leaves too, but their fl owers defi nitely are different. String algae are another venture into mystery land. In the spring it is mushy and doesn’t stick together. The summer version is where it gets its name. I don’t need sight to collect string algae, but pea soup algae are a different story. I only know about pea soup algae after a sighted person reports it. But without sight I can still enjoy a green pond whereas sighted folks want to change it. The waterlily fl owers have so many different fragranc- es. From my above-ground pond, I can pull a fl ower to my nose to savor the smells. My above-ground pond also makes it easy to access all the sensations of water gardening and it is ergonomic for seniors. Much of the work of pond maintenance and pond construction can be performed without vision. I use Your Submissions a talking tape measure, beeping level, talking weight scale, and talking thermometer to aid in construction Welcome and maintenance. As soon as a talking salt meter and If you would like to submit water talking water test kit come on the market, I will have garden visits, book reviews, event them, too. listings, or other articles for the next edition of the Journal, please My talking computer gives me access to the same send them by September 1 to tools as a sighted gardener. For example, I gather [email protected]. information about water gardening, calculate water volumes, receive weather reports, and perform as president of our local water garden club. Water Gardening is a very viable option for visually impaired gardeners done as a hobby or as a job. I welcome anyone interested in following-up on this topic to contact me, [email protected] or (707) 839-0588.

About the Author Doug Rose is co-owner of Rosepond Aquatics (http:// www.rosepond.com) and is President of the North Coast Water Garden Club http://www.ncwgc.org). THE WATER GARDEN JOURNAL Volume 29 Number 2

EDITOR KATHY JENTZ EDITORIAL BOARD JAMES ALLISON CHARLES B. THOMAS DISTRIBUTION TAMARA KILBANE ACCOUNTANT TISH FOLSOM

The Ofﬁ cial Publication of the INTERNATIONAL WATERLILY AND WATER GARDENING SOCIETY

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY PRESIDENT MIKE SWIZE VICE PRESIDENT — TREASURER VICKI ABER SECRETARY TAMARA KILBANE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TAMARA KILBANE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jim Purcell, Brandon McLane, Mike Swize, Tamara Kilbane, Daike Tian, Vicki Aber, Steve Stroupe, Demi Fortuna, and U.S. Botanic Garden, Washington, DC. Photo by Kathy Jentz Charles B. Thomas (honorary life term) Mission Statement—The International Waterlily & Water www.iwgs.org Gardening Society (IWGS) is a nonprofi t organization of multi-national membership dedicated to the furtherance of all REGISTRARS aspects of water gardens and their associated plants. As an Nymphaea Registration organization we support and promote education, research, Tamara Kilbane and conservation in these areas. [email protected] Volume 29, Number 2 The IWGS Water Garden Journal Nelumbo Registration (ISSN 1069-5982) is published quarterly by The International Daike Tian Waterlily and Water Gardening Society (The Society), P.O. [email protected] Box 546, Greenville, VA 24440, USA. Phone 540-337-4507, ADMINISTRATIVE ADDRESS Fax: 540-337-0738, Email [email protected]. All rights reserved. and SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES © 2014. The Water Garden Journal is indexed in EBSCO’s International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Garden, Landscape & Horticulture Literature Index. P.O. Box 546 Postage paid at Greenville, VA, USA and additional mailing Greenville, VA 24440 USA offi ces. Basic subscription/membership rate for one full year 540-337-4507 is free for the online Journal. Hard copy can be mailed for an Fax: 540-337-0738 additional $25 per year. Further details and back issues are [email protected] available from the administrative offi ce in Virginia. All changes of address and incidents of non-arrival of Journals should be EDITORIAL ADDRESS notifi ed to the offi ce in Virginia. Opinions expressed by authors Please send all inquiries and articles and any products reviewed are not specifi cally endorsed by for possible inclusion to [email protected] The Society, nor does The Society accept any liability arising from the contents of this Journal.