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International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society WATER GARDEN JOURNAL

SUMMER Vol. 33, No. 2 2018 P. 2 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

IN THIS ISSUE 03 President’s Letter President Susan Davis requests your submissions of non-aquatic plants grown in water gardens. 04 Home Gardening Corner Healthy summer pond tips. Preview of the 2018 Chenshan 05 Book Review International Waterlily Festival A new edition of The Tub Pond and Symposium. Zijun Li shares an excellent Handbook reviewed. example of a vibrant red flowering intersubgeneric 06 Event Preview hybrid. 2018 Chenshan International Waterlily Symposium in Shanghai. 07 Online Community Hashtags decoded. 08 Expert Corner Mike Gannon describes how to control string algae. 09 Scholarship Second recipient announced. 10 Container Lotus Tips for container-grown lotus. 12 From the Vaults The story of the great Crystal Palace, its creator, Sir Joseph Paxton, and his inspiration, Victoria regia. 14 Symposium Preview Rolf Nelson tells us what to expect at the 2018 IWGS meeting in Texas. 16 Trends Demi Fortuna analyzes Gordon T. Fig 1. Layout of Partition Active Bog Filter Ledbetter’s prescient “Profile of the See the “how-to“ steps on page 19 of this issue. Modern Water Garden.” 18 Event Calendar Submissions On the Cover 19 How-To If you would like to submit water Lotus and bee at Kenilworth Anita Nelson details building an ac- garden content for the next edition Aquatic Gardens, Washington, tive bog filtration system. of the Journal, please send your DC, USA. 22 Plant Research submissions before September 1 Photo by Mar Acevedo. Zijun Li describes breeding to [email protected]. waterlilies on a rooftop. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 3 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

President’s Letter “You grew WHAT?!?” This is the name of a panel discussion moderated by Anita Nelson coming up at our annual IWGS Symposium in September. At Water’s Edge, we have an old-style water garden display with an upper pool biofilter. Built in 1993, it has endured for many years, and we introduce new plants each year to see how they perform in our area. Today, we installed lots of non-aquatic plants to experiment with: tomatoes, peppers, herbs, ground cover, se- dum, and more. We are planting them in our mesh pots, using calcined clay as the growing medium. They will reside in our up-flow bio-filter, where the nutrient-rich water runs through them. Using the mesh pots will allow us to pull those who do not transition well into this aquatic environment, and highlight those who do. I invite all of you, my water garden friends, to grow with us. Moving water settings are best. Try something different in your upper pools and streams. Share your experiments with us! It would be such great fun to put up a bulletin board for photos for “You grew WHAT?!?” for us all to take a look this fall. Meet you by the pond, Susan Davis, IWGS President, [email protected]

Our newly planted bio-ﬁlter

Our planted strawberry pot fountain P. 4 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

Home Gardening Corner Tips for a Healthy Summertime Pond The beauty and joy of a pond makes summer more memorable and relaxing! To fully enjoy the water garden, you want to make sure your water feature is healthy and functioning optimally throughout the warmer months. When water temperature rises above 80 degrees (27° C) this summer, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Health of Your Pond Fish Keep an eye on your fish. Do your finned friends appear stressed out, gasping for air close to the water’s surface or especially close to a fountain or waterfall? Warm water has a low capacity for holding oxygen, while cooler water can hold very large amounts of oxygen. Warm pond water and increased activity go hand and hand, and that increased activity also means your fish require more oxygen when less oxygen is available, thus creating a vicious cycle. Stressed fish often begin to develop diseases, and soon enough you’ll have a domino effect. Add oxygen to your pond by placing an aerator or pump in your pond. You can also install a fountain with a pump if your pond doesn’t have a waterfall or your biological filter and pump strainer across the stream. Make sure all areas of the pond are skimmed pond from each other, so that your pond receives opti- and the water circulated. And keep in mind that wa- mal circulation. terfalls, streams, and fountains play a huge part in the Additional Summer Pond Tips oxygenation of the water in your pond. During the hot summer months, you can use some of Beat the Heat these tips to help keep your pond performing opti- There are some preventative measures you can take mally: in order to keep your pond from becoming a warm, • If you feed your fish, feed them in the morning and unhealthy mess. It all starts with a well-designed water be careful not to overfeed. Uneaten food decays faster feature. Depth, plant coverage, shade, and circulation in warmer water and can pollute the pond. should all be considered when designing and building • Be sure to remove dying leaves and flowers before a pond. A minimum depth of two feet is suggested; the they have a chance to decay in the warmer water. bottom of the pond will remain cooler. The bottom line is that you need to keep an eye on You’ll also want to stock your pond with a lot of your pond and let your fish and plants do the talking. plants to provide shade for the fish. A good rule of If you have a balanced ecosystem, you’ll find it much thumb is to provide plant coverage of approximately easier to maintain the health of your pond, fish, and 1/3 to 1/2 of the pond’s surface area. plants. Perhaps one of the most important parts of pond Article Source design is circulation. If possible, you’ll want to place Aquascape, St. Charles, IL, USA. www.aquascapeinc.com. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 5 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

Book Review The Tub Pond Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating and Maintaining Patio Ponds, Container Water Gardens, and Tropical Fish Breeding Tubs By Ted Coletti Publisher: Wagtail Imprints, Inc. List Price: $19.89 Reviewer: Rosie Kean The Tub Pond Handbook is a thorough guide to setting up and maintaining your own container water gardens. In less than 150 pages, the author presents plenty of information, tips, and tricks to creating your own tub pond filled with aquatic life. As someone who had never even heard of “tub ponds,” I was immediately drawn in to the hobby simply because of all the possibilities it holds. Grow- ing waterlilies in a container outside my apartment? I would have thought that impossible before reading this book. Now, I am seriously considering buying materials to start a water garden next spring. The author had another major selling point for me by including this quote from the late water plant expert Greg Speichert: “Water gardening is for the gardening impaired. You cannot fail.” The book progresses in an organized, easy-to-follow manner, beginning with where to place your add fish, you will have to make sure the fish you plan container pond and what type of container to use. The on getting can tolerate the water temperatures in the importance of striking a balance in the pond’s water is container. discussed. The book points out what you should look The author packs a ton of information into relatively out for in your tap water before you fill your container, few pages. Some of that information may not pertain as well as how to neutralize unwanted chemicals like to what you want out of a pond or garden, so it can chlorine. be overwhelming at times. For instance, I am not as Pictures, both of beautiful container ponds and more inclined to keep fish in a pond. I am more interested instructional photos of various container styles and in just growing water plants. I suggest taking breaks pond products, can be found on nearly every page, in-between chapters, and keeping a pen and note- making reading visually enjoyable. book handy to jot down notes. Overall, The Tub Pond Many plants are discussed in great detail, includ- Handbook is an educational read that offers great ing their ideal climate zones, benefits, and potential insight into creating your own patio ponds. problems, as well as how to store them over winter. The author provides the same details for various types About the Reviewer of fish before sharing how to breed and feed your fish, Rosie Kean is a senior multiplatform journalism and in addition to how to eliminate any pond pests. English major at the University of Maryland, College The author emphasizes the importance of location, Park. She is from Macungie, PA. This summer, she is as it can affect the amount of sun the pond is exposed an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine, to and the temperature of the pond. If you want to where this review originally appeared. P. 6 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

Event Preview Chenshan International Waterlily Festival and Symposium by FENG Jia The waterlily has high ornamental and applied value. Research, breeding, and utilization of germplasm for waterlily are a “hot topic” in the aquatic garden world. To further explore and exchange the challenges and achievements of conservation, genetics and breeding, research and development of waterlily, a 2018 Chen- shan International Waterlily Symposium at Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China, will take place from August 17–19 during the 2018 Chen- shan International Waterlily Festival. Presenters include James Allison, Mike Swize, Justin Titus, Sarada Krishnan, CHEN Yuchu, Primlarp (Ping), and many more. To register to attend, go to: http://www.ibiodiversity. net/Meeting/Conference.html?groupid=Nymphaea20 18 In 2017, Chenshan collected and displayed more than 300 cultivars, including 160 cultivars of tropical waterlilies and more than 140 cultivars of hardy waterlilies. There were totally 12,000 square meters of display areas in the garden. Here are some examples from the collection. About the Author Anna (Jia) Feng is Executive Officer, Personal As- sistant to Executive President, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 7 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

Online Community #WhatIsTheDeal with Hashtags by Kathy Jentz You may have noticed the use of hashtags everywhere these days—from print advertis- ing to television game shows. Practically everything has a hashtag assigned to it. So what are they and how do you use them to promote your business? Hashtags are phrases, words, or abbreviations that follow the # sign. Note that they cannot contain space or punctuation. They are usually limited to the 26 letters of the alphabet, but occasionally contain numerals. The use of hashtags is common on Twitter, Instagram, and Google+. It is starting to be used more on Face- book and other social media as well. On Twitter, it came about for two reasons. First, when you are limited to 140 characters, any shorthand codes are a big help. Second, with the millions of tweets going out every minute, hashtags allow you to set up an easy key word search for the exact phrases you want to follow. Hashtags can define a community. For instance, #gardenbloggers is added to posts where either garden blog- gers want to let each other know about something or is used by someone who is trying to reach that specific audience. Hashtags can be humorous. The hashtag #isitspringyet (is it spring yet?) was common throughout the last few months as people posted snow photos in the mid-western United States. If I see some really bad pruning job, I’ll post a picture of it with the hashtag #gardencrime and I know my fellow hort friends will appreciate it. Hashtags at an event are very useful. At the recent Rooting DC conference in Washington, DC, over 1,000 home gardeners and horticultural professionals gathered to share gardening knowledge and inspire urban agriculture. There were over 100 educational sessions – far more than any one person could attend. So the hashtag #RootingDC18 was used by people tweeting from the event to share photos, tips, and connections. I find when I’m at an industry meeting that connecting on Twitter using the event hashtag puts me immediately in the center of things. I can let people know about a session I’m speaking at later that day. I get invited to im- promptu networking meet-ups in the hotel bar. I learn about the best local spots for dinner and much more. During the huge Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) held in Baltimore every January, I followed #MANTS2018 posts on Twitter and found out about a few last minute show specials and was also able to catch up to a few friends at the vast show, who I never would have known were there that day. Here is a list of hashtags for our industry that I recommend you use regularly and that you do a daily/weekly search on to see what other folks are chatting about: #WaterGarden #WaterGardening #Gardening #Garden #Plants #Flowers #Lotus #Waterlily #Koi #KoiPond #Pond #PondLife Be sure to retweet, favorite/like, and respond to those posts you find to be informative or funny. After all, the point of social media is to be social! If you have a specific question or challenge with social media or online communications, please share that with me and I will address that in a future column. About the Author Kathy Jentz is editor of the Water Garden Journal. She can be reached at [email protected]. P. 8 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

Expert Corner How to Control String Algae by Mike Gannon Hey, pond keepers! We all have to deal with string algae in your koi pond and water garden at some point. String algae happens to the best of us, be it a big pond or small, a professionally installed water garden or the backyard DIY pond. String algae in your koi pond and water garden is nothing new, nothing unusual, and nothing to be ashamed of; so let’s talk about it. Let’s talk algae, shall we? String algae is a very common filamentous type of algae that also goes by the names of hair algae, blanket little available for algae to utilize. The root cause (no algae, mat algae, and even pond scum (remind you of pun) of all the blooms is high nutrients, which can anyone?). The scientific names of string algae include occur in many different ways too numerous to list here the genera Cladophora and Spirogyra. String algae but alluded to above. can be found in our koi ponds, water gardens, waterfalls, streams, water features, and fountains growing The good news is that string algae is not necessar- on surfaces such as rocks, liner, plants, and just about ily bad for our pond, it is much more of a nuisance anywhere it can latch onto. The texture, color, and than a danger, and even has some benefits to it. Let’s length of string algae can vary and sometimes even talk about the good first. String algae can add a bit of appear black and slimy. habitat to your pond for baby fish, tadpoles, dragonfly nymph, snails, and other small pond critters. It can At certain times of year string algae seems to have pat- be a food source for many of the critters just listed, terns of blooming. Early winter, early spring, and mid- as well as adult fish. String algae has some filtration summer seem to be among those times when string benefits and will actually remove nutrients from your algae makes its presence well known in our ponds. water and help to improve water quality. String algae In reality, string algae is always in our koi ponds and also provides a minor amount of mechanical filtration water gardens, but is not a problem until those blooms and will remove particulate matter from your pond occur. And when those string algae blooms happen at water. When removing string algae you can often see the same times every year the same string algae treat- “brown” water pouring out from the algae clump. this ments and equipment go flying off the shelves of pond brown water is full of particulate matter that would retailers. otherwise have been in your pond reducing clarity. So what causes string algae? It seems to always be The bad of string algae is it grows on everything; there, but can be introduced many ways including via blocking pump intakes, clogging filter pads, and fish, plants, wind, humans, etc. There are a number obstructing open water swimming for the fish. String of factors that will affect the growth and bloom rates algae can create maintenance issues, and even create of string algae. Some of the more obvious would be a oxygen crashes if left unchecked, which can be deadly dirty pond and dirty filters, overfeeding, overstocking, to your livestock; and a heartbreaking experience. over-fertilizing, and/or poorly managed ponds with an Luckily, there are many ways to control string algae abundance of nutrients in the water. Other factors may with the variable being how long you are willing to include changes in how your more complex aquatic wait for the algae to clear. Increasing, supplementing, plants such as waterlily, water iris, pickerel, lotus, etc. improving filtration to process nutrients more effi- are consuming nutrients. At certain times of the year ciently is kind of the no brainer solution to string algae our complex plants consume more nutrients leaving control. There is also the organic, time-tested method P. 9 Vol. 33, No. 2 of letting the algae bloom, peak, and die; this takes time and patience. You can practice manual removal as well and get in there to start pulling it. You could simply do a cleanout of the pond. There are chemical- based and bacteria-based treatments that clear string algae in your koi pond and water garden pretty quickly in most cases. Barley straw extract is an old favorite for control. Many pond professionals [in the USA] use EcoBlast™ treatment or String Algae Buster™. Water changes can help reduce nutrients and growth rate of algae, and sometimes make it worse! Equipment such as ionizers are said to control and reduce string algae Patrick A. Nutt growth by half of more! Providing more oxygen to your pond with a simple air pump and diffuser is very Scholarship effective, as well as adding more complex aquatic Second Recipient Announced plants to out-compete algae for nutrient resources. By Brian W. Trader Adding shade to your pond can help, tinting your pond water can help as long as you don’t mind blue or black We are pleased to announce the second recipient of the water. On larger scale ponds grass carp can be brought Patrick A. Nutt Scholarship, George Anderson. Having into play to eat up the algae. Most of these are not worked previously as a garden apprentice at The Saluta- overnight solutions, but all of them are effective when tion Gardens in Kent, the United Kingdom, he has a great applied correctly, and treatments can be combined opportunity to grow and progress his horticultural career. as well. It should be mentioned to be extremely care- George has achieved his RHS Level 2 and will be joining Longwood Gardens in late August. George’s references ful with “overnight solutions,” sometimes fast-acting described him: changes are not the best thing for livestock. • A great asset to any garden or horticultural institution Even under the best scenarios there will always be a • Committed, very positive and receptive to new ideas bit of string algae in your pond, which is not really • Keen to learn a great diversity of skills Congratulations, George! a bad thing, a little is good, in my opinion. As pond keepers our goal should be to control it, not actually remove it. Let’s enjoy the benefits of it without the About the Author Brian W. Trader, Ph.D., is Director, Domestic and Interna- nuisance factors that get us all nuts! Who likes seeing tional Studies, at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA. fish all tangled up in those long green strands,… not me! So the next time your pond or water feature get strung out, take step back and breathe, you now have a lot of solutions to choose from to get your pond safely back under controls. Submissions About the Author If you would like to submit water garden content for the next edition Mike Gannon is owner of Full Service Aquatics lo- of the Journal, please send your cated in Summit, NJ. Mike is an award-winning pond, submissions before September 1 water garden, and water feature builder. Mike is the to [email protected]. creator of “The Pond Hunter” video series seen on Youtube and has made several television appearances on networks such as HGTV and the DIY Network. He also hosts the Pond Hunter Radio Broadcast. You can contact Mike at the LOVEYOURPOND blog at http:// fullserviceaquatics.com. P. 10 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal Container Lotus Considerations for Growing Lotus in a Large Patio Container by Paula Biles If you keep your new lotus in a container, you can remove it for overwintering in a garage or basement to protect the tubers from freezing. Narrow down your search by first checking local water garden centers to see what they have, since this time of year (summer) it is harder to find tubers, which can be purchased online. Selecting a lotus usually depends on two characteristics besides size—color and petals. Color choices include white, yellow, pink, deep pink (red), and changeable. Petal options are single or many petals. If your local options are very limited and/or they’re not in bloom, ask a person knowledgeable about lotus for recommendations about the best bloomer. Or if that’s not as important to you, get the fullest and healthiest looking plant. Stay away from small or mini-sized varieties, which might look odd in a large container.

Steps for Patio Container Set -Up Lotus ‘Maggie Belle Slocum’ growing in a container intended to be a liner for half of a wooden barrel. Photo by Soni Forsman. Lotus do best with a steady supply of warmth and sun. It takes a month or two with very warm and bright The lotus is deciduous and will go dormant in late conditions before they will bloom. Therefore, placing fall or early winter. The container will need protection the new lotus pot at the bottom of a deep container from temperatures low enough to freeze the water. will deprive them of both, besides shocking the plant. If you want to see a few examples of nice lotus in So you need to create a shelf or stand to support the containers go to “AboutTheLotus” page on Facebook: new lotus closer to the water surface. Common ways https://www.facebook.com/AboutTheLotus and view to do this are with stacked concrete blocks or bricks. the “Decorative Containers” photo album. Scroll My favorite option is milk crates. (Black is best be- through back posts to find a wealth of lotus informa- cause it doesn’t show.) tion, tips, and trivia. After you get everything set up and your new lotus is home, there are a few other steps you should take after Patio Containers versus removing chloramine or chlorine from your tap water: In-Pond Containers • Add mosquito fish or goldfish to eat mosquito larva Containers for lotus in the pond may change although • Add lots of submerged aquatic plants to out-compete the following criteria always apply—they should be algae for nutrients so your water won’t get murky shallow, broad, and within your strength limit. green. The plants also provide protection for fish • In a pond, the preferred lotus might be larger, so the and shade to keep the water cooler. Both the fish and pots should be larger. Larger pots are easier to deal plants can be obtained from natural sources or a pet with in a pond, since they can be dragged to the pond store. Guppies make a good substitute for mosquito edge before filling. It may be possible to float them fish, but won’t survive the winter in northern climates. into place before gradually sinking them. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 11 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

• My small patio lotus are repotted every season. Those in the pond can usually go two seasons before dividing and repotting. • Patio containers must be winterized in a location to keep the water and tubers from freezing during dor- mancy. Maintenance in Pond versus Patio Containers • Lotus like a consistent gradual warming at the beginning of the season. Great fluctuations in water temperature from day to night slows their growth down, especially at the beginning of the season. Patio pots have much greater variation during the change from winter to spring (or spring to summer in your climate). So be prepared to protect your patio pots from overnight lows and especially cold north winds. • Pests are easier to spot and treat in patio containers. • Trimming away dead leaves and seed ponds is easier in patio pots. • The above ground lotus pots’ ecosystem has to be created with adequate underwater vegetation and mosquito control. (Fish are my first choice, BT is the second.) • Patio pots need regular monitoring to protect leaves Lotus ‘Nelumbo Pretty Flower’ in the “perfect” large clay container for this from high winds or drying breezes in arid climates. purpose. Photo by Soni Forsman. • Patio pots require regular water additions, especially as the leaves get large and divert rain from reaching About the Author the pot. Larger lotus may need daily top offs. Water Paula Biles and Kelly Billing co-wrote The Lotus: should be free of chlorine/chloramine, if fish are pres- Know It and Grow It, which is now out of print. Paula ent. belongs to the Garden Writers Association and has • Fertilizing methods vary between growers. However been a regular columnist for numerous hobbyist and if tabs are used it’s easier to insert them in patio pots. trade publications. With above pond lotus, it is possible to add liquid nu- [Note: This article was adapted from a recent discus- trients for a quick boost or deficiency correction. sion from the IWGS Let’s Talk Water Gardening • Enjoyment is great for both, but different. online forum (yahoo group). You can find out more • Patio pots offer fantastic opportunities to see de¬tails and/or sign up to this group at: http://groups.yahoo. up close and personal. Photography is easier, espe- com/group/LetsTalkWaterGardening/.] cially macro-photography. Patio pots offer many more landscaping options, especially for folks without ponds and those in apartments or condos. • In-pond lotus have more room. More pots and/and larger containers mean more leaves and more blooms, all with less overall work. You can’t go wrong with either system. Heck, I’ve got both in my tiny garden. P. 12 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

The Crystal Palace, the largest glass house ever constructed in England was From the Vaults erected in London in 1851, with the sole purpose of housing the Great Exhibi- Sir Joseph Paxton and tion that year. His Inspiration By Virginia Thomas Crum [Editor’s Note: All of our older Journals have been scanned in now and will be made available to the membership when our new website launches later this year. We will be selecting an article from an old Jour- nal issue in each future issue for our readers’ enjoyment. This excerpt was from the 1988 WGJ Vol_04-2 “SIR JOSEPH PAXTON AND HIS INSPIRATION” by Virginia Thomas Crum, Assistant to the WLS Sec- retary, Lilypons, Maryland, USA. It was the introduc- tion of the Victoria Waterlily to the world.] As 1988 is the Water Lily Society’s ‘Year of Britain,’ it is only fitting that we should study the waterlilies yet to leave his imprint on the history of architectural influence in Britain. A mere plant’s influence in a technology. great nation? You may wisely ask. But we are dealing with no ordinary plant. The following is the story of With such wonderful structures in which to work, Pax- the great Crystal Palace, its creator, Sir Joseph Paxton, ton required wonderful plants to fill them. and his inspiration, Victoria regia. Expeditions were sent around the world with the sole Joseph Paxton (1801-1865), architect and gardener purpose of trading British plants to native inhabit- extraordinaire, worked extensively with exotic plants ants for examples of their rare and fragile indigenous and garden structure design as head gardener to the plants. Duke of Devonshire, at his estate, Chatsworth. While at this post, Paxton enjoyed immense freedom in de- For our purposes, the most important plant in Paxton’s signing and constructing gardens and conservatories, treasury of flora was the magnificent, even outra- and acquiring rare and exotic plants to fill them. These geous, member of the Nymphaeaceae (waterlily fam- two freedoms brought him renown in both the field of ily), Victoria regia (Syn V. amazonica). Fascinated by architecture and horticulture, and made him uniquely this ominously thorned aquatic, Paxton was the first to qualified to produce greatness. force a Victoria to bloom outside its natural habitat, thus taming the lovely waterlily. The Victoria pads Paxton developed a reputation as a gifted conserva- and intricate infrastructure represent a bridge between tory architect through his then immense and complex Paxton’s two great interests, architecture and horticul- structures at Chatsworth: wall-conservatories, a Grand ture, the cu1mination of which produced the Crystal Canal, the Grand Rock Garden, the Arboretum, the Palace. circular Lily House, and the Great Conservatory. The Great Conservatory spanned 277 feet, making it the The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the brain-chid of largest glass house ever to exist up to that time. Lady none less than Prince Albert, consort of Victoria. This Carlisle wrote of the structure, “After St. Peter’s, there mid-century exhibition was conceived as a grand is nothing like it.” tribute to the technological and sociological advances of the time. To house such an important event the very Romantic and beautiful as these displays and struc- best possible structure had to be constructed. tures were, Paxton always observed function as a primary design consideration. Robert Ferneaux Jordon An architecture design contest ensued in which Paxton writes of Paxton that “it was the marriage of these did not participate. Of the 233 schemes submitted, the two ways of thought which lifted Paxton’s talents to contest director’s plan, not coincidentally, was chosen. the level of genius.” Grand as the Chatsworth struc- His “monstrous bulb of sheet iron 200 feet across,” tures were, Paxton had yet to show his best work, had was a disaster. The Prince was appalled by the win- International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 13 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2 ning entry, and concerned as less than a year remained before the May opening of the exhibition. Paxton, also unimpressed with the design, and having published an eloquent letter in the Illustrated London News expressing his decided lack of enthusiasm about it, submitted a design to the Exhibition Committee which would 1) cost a reasonable sum to construct, 2) provide enough lighting so that the exhibits could be seen, and 3) be large enough to contain all of the proposed exhibits. The original winning entry offered none of these functional qualities, let alone the beauty of Paxton’s design. Paxton was immediately given the go ahead to begin construction. It was then July 1850. Paxton’s design was an inspired use of glass and cast iron, based on the structure of the great Victoria regia. Using cast iron, which could be made much thin- ner than its precurser, wrought iron, Paxton was able to design a delicate structure capable of supporting massive weight. When designed in the structure of the pads of V. regia, the cast iron was able to support vast spans of glass, providing a bright, ‘fairytale‘ interior. The entire structure was of prefabricated glass and cast iron, made in two factories in England, to Paxton’s precise measurements, and brought to London for as- sembly. This was the first prefabricated structure ever, and designed by no less than a great waterlily enthusi- ast!

The unprecedented operation of pre-fabrication was These plates were taken from the book “The Flower of the Empire” which viewed skeptically by Charles Dickens, among others, outlines how the Victoria was ﬁrst found and brought back to England. The who described the arrangement in the July 16, 1850 book is by Tatiana Holway. Household Words: “Two parties in London, relying upon the accuracy and goodwill of a Single ironmaster, the owners of a single glassworks in Birmingham bound themselves for a certain sum of money, and in a few months, to cover eighteen acres with a building upwards of a third of a mile long.” On January 31, 1851, the “third of a mile long” building was complete, and exhibitors were able to begin their set up. Sir Joseph Paxton was knighted that same year. The Crystal Palace enjoyed an overwhelming positive reception, and ensured its creator a place in architectural and waterlily history. Thus was the influence of a great water lily on a great man of a great nation.

P. 14 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal Symposium Preview San Angelo, Texas, USA September 13-16, 2018 by Rolf Nelson Howdy Y’all! Are you ready to experience a wonderful Waterlily Extravaganza served up with friendly West Texan Hospitality? The City of San Angelo, their Lilyfest Committee, Chamber of Commerce and Visi- tors Center are thrilled that the IWGS is visiting their city. You’re in for a treat as you join the IWGS to see the incredible collection of waterlilies Ken Landon has amassed over thirty-five years. Ken’s passion for waterlilies is expressed (along with the City of San Angelo) in freely sharing his collection with the rest of the world. The International Waterlily Collection Earlybird registration (IWC) is certainly a sight to behold in San Angelo, Texas, but first you need to get there! ends August 1. Register now If you are flying: at IWGS.org! San Angelo Regional Airport Mathis Field (SJT) There are only 4 flights into the San Angelo Airport each day serviced by American Airlines, you may Hill Country Water Gardens; www.hillcountrywater- want to book your flight early. If you contact us ahead gardens.com. of time (email; [email protected] or 281-960- 7905) a member of the host committee will be happy • Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to pick you up from the airport and transport you to It will take you just under 4 hours to drive from Dallas Staybridge Suites, our host hotel. (The hotel is 15 Fort Worth. Along the way you may wish to stop at the minutes away from their airport.) Should you decide Fort Worth Arboretum and visit the Japanese Gardens. to rent a car there are several car rental companies The garden is just minutes off the freeway. It’s a 40 available in the terminal. minutes commute from the Airport If you are flying and plan to rent a car: • Houston International Airport (IAH) and Houston Hobby (HOU) • Midland/Odessa (MAF) Flying into either one of these airports will not af- This airport is the closest airport serviced by multiple fect your travel time to San Angelo (approximately 6 airlines. It takes approximately 2 hours to drive from hours). On the way we invite you to stop in at Nel- Midland, Texas to San Angelo. son Water Gardens, (www.nelsonwatergardens.com) owned by hosts Anita and Rolf Nelson. It is just min- • Austin Bergstrom International Airport(AUS) utes off the interstate on your drive to San Angelo. As From the Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) it will take you drive further west you will skirt Austin and you you approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to drive to may wish to go a little out of your way to visit Hill San Angelo. On the way, be sure to stop at Coopers Country Water Gardens. On the way, you will pass Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano for the most amaz- Coopers Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano Texas, be ing Bar-B-Que ever! It you are taking a leisurely drive sure to stop for amazing Bar-B-Que. consider driving an hour out of your way and visiting International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 15 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

• San Antonio International Airport(SAT) your own, all the addresses of the venues are embed- It’s a 3 hour and 15-minute drive from San Antonio ded in the schedule below. Uber is also available. to San Angelo. San Antonio is a beautiful city and if We recommend booking early to ensure getting into you plan to stay overnight be sure to stay in a hotel on the IWGS room block. Our code is WGS to get our the Riverwalk and visit The Alamo (within walking discounted rates. Go to: https://www.staybridge.com/ distance). redirect?path=hd-hotel-room-rates&brandCode=SB&l ocaleCode=en®ionCode=1&hotelCode=SJTSB&_ General Information PMID=99801505&GPC=WGS&viewfullsite=true • The City • Our Hospitality Room San Angelo located in Central Texas is a dry rugged For the past several years the IWGS has sponsored a land with long vistas. The dry climate and high-alti- Hospitality Room. Join us each night in the Concho tude result in hot days (we could reach the 100’s while Room, upstairs just off the elevator. Drinks, snacks here) but the nights cool off pleasantly. Get ready for and fellowship compliments of the IWGS. three days of friendly Texans, fantastic photo ops, • Weather great speakers and waterlily fellowship! San Angelo is dry and hot during the day but cools off • The Region nicely in the evenings. As a reminder, be sure to bring For those of you on an extended trip plan to visit: The your sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen. Bottled Water will Texas Hill Country, (home of hundreds of wineries), be available on all the buses, but you may also want to San Antonio Riverwalk, The Alamo, Enchanted Rock bring your own water bottle. State Park, the Caverns of Sonora and a plethora of • Symposium Transit Texas Barbeque joints offering the driver wonderful We will be traveling to all the venues on air-condi- opportunities for the true Texas experience. tioned school buses. No trip will take more than 10-15 • What to Pack minutes to arrive at the destination. If you have your Texas is hot! Most folks will wear shorts, T-shirts, san- own transportation, the addresses for each venue are dals/sneakers and hats to all venues. The Hall of Fame embedded (and in bold typeface) in the itinerary Banquet is dressy casual, but it really is up to you. • Our Auctions First and foremost, we want you to be comfortable Each year our members donate their time and treasures (as long as you are wearing cowboy boots ). Pack a to raise money for the Society. You will have plenty of water bottle. Although water will be provided it’s nice opportunity to bid up the items all day Friday and Sat- to have it handy. Bring a hat, sunscreen, lip balm, and urday afternoon at the Silent Auction and then bid on moisturizer. If you are planning to get INTO the ponds items in the Live Auction at the Hall of Fame Banquet. Sunday, September 16th be sure to pack old sneakers Be sure to overpay for items because it all goes to sup- or sturdy water shoes (no flip flops or open-toed shoes port the Society! Feel free to bring an item to donate of any kind will be allowed). Despite the heat, the eve- to the auction. nings can be cool so pack a light sweater or jacket. • One Other Thing • Our Host Hotel If you are planning to get into the ponds at the Interna- Staybridge Suites, San Angelo, 1355 Knickerbocker tional Water Lily Collection on Sunday, September 16, Rd San Angelo, TX 76903, Phone: 325-653-1500 you MUST wear closed toe water shoes or sneakers, Staybridge Suites offers a complimentary breakfast NO bare feet, NO flip flops and NO open-toed foot- Mon-Fri starting at 6:30am and 7:30 am on Sat-Sun. wear—non-negotiable! On either side of the hotel are restaurants with lunch and dinner offerings. (Thursday, September 13th is About the Author the only night you are responsible for dinner on your Rolf Nelson is the owner of Nelson Water Gar- own.) The hotel is located less than 10 minutes by car dens & Nursery in Katy, TX. He can be reached at from all venues. For those of you getting around on [email protected]. P. 16 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal Trends Proﬁle of the Modern Water Garden By Demi Fortuna I just finished reading an entertaining article by Gor- don T. Ledbetter, “Profile of the Modern Water Gar- den,” published March 1985 in the very first edition of this Journal. Ledbetter, an Irish water garden expert and designer of international renown, conferred international legitimacy to the fledgling Water Lily Society at its inception. He had been the guest of honor at the reception announcing the formation of the society at the home of Lilypons president Charles B. Thomas. To say his appearance lent a certain cachet to the budding Society is probably an understatement. Ledbetter was a well-established author even then. He had published Water Gardens in 1980, followed by The Better Water Gardens Book of Patio Ponds in 1982, as popularity. The scope for design in terms of formal well as a pair of biographies of famous Irishmen. His geometric shapes, with sunken and raised ponds, extensive professional resume includes the Waterfalls and fountains and ornaments, together with the wide at Delta Sensory Garden, Carlow, Ireland and direc- choice of building materials, can provide some of the torship of Calumet Nurseries, the National Garden most satisfying of modern water gardens. The use and Exhibition Centre of Ireland. The article he wrote was application of fountains is well developed in modern also quite a coup for the Journal. water gardening practice, less so perhaps the art of the In the piece, Mr. Ledbetter pointed out the profound waterfall as is attested by the paucity of words in Eng- evolution in water gardening happening in the United lish—waterfall, cascade, rapids—by which to describe Kingdom, paralleling the same trends on this side the multitude of ways in which fast-moving water may of the pond. Modest size—100 square feet or less, travel and fall. The construction of waterfalls and their informal shape, natural stone edging, flexible liners characteristics is an area of water gardening richly and preformed ponds were the attributes, he noted, of deserving closer scrutiny. How might we expect water the “typical modern water garden,” in contrast to the gardening to develop in future years?” then-still-prevalent notions that ponds had to be made We now know how water gardening has developed, of concrete and very large to be worth having. Even and Ledbetter was right on all counts. As he points out tiny ponds could support a dwarf Nymphaea, which towards the end of his observations, the two decades he viewed as the “primary attraction of water garden- following the 1980s saw a major flourishing in “the art ing.” His comments about liner concealment, native of the waterfall.” As Ledbetter hoped, the best water stone selection, rock placement, plant shelves, even gardeners have indeed spent years of richly deserved container plantings, so revolutionary then, all seem so closer scrutiny, perfecting the appearance and charac- obvious now. The then-modern pond is now old hat. teristics of their waterfalls and streams. Entire books What most impresses me is his clear-eyed glimpse of have been written about random rock placement to the future. What Ledbetter presaged 33 years ago in a perfectly emulate nature. What he perhaps couldn’t single prescient paragraph has largely come to pass: have predicted was the meteoric rise of the so-called “Conversely, the pond in the context of hard surface, “ecosystem pond” with its emphasis on rocked and low maintenance gardening is enjoying a new found graveled shallow steps. These ponds differ from the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 17 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

“water garden” that Ledbetter describes, which tends faces’” would take water features in the direction of to showcase plants rather than fish. Nor are they tradi- fountains: “…design in terms of formal geometric tional dedicated koi ponds, which typically eschew the shapes, with sunken and raised ponds, and fountains use of gravel bottoms in favor of drains or solids-han- and ornaments, together with the wide choice of build- dling pumps on the bottom to remove the large quan- ing materials, can provide some of the most satisfying tities of wastes generated. The ecosystem or garden of modern water gardens.” Yet again Ledbetter saw pond is the term used for a gravelled pond with a bal- what lay next—what some now term “Water in the ance of plants and fish, sometimes koi, with a skim- Hardscape.” mer to house the pump and remove surface debris, and He could not have predicted the specific drivers that an upflow biofilter at the head of the stream or falls as have pushed the industry towards hardscape features. the only filter. This type of pond, heavily promoted to The economic downturn of 2008 pushed folks away both owners and contractors, dominated the industry from high-cost, high-maintenance ponds towards for over twenty years here in the States, supplanting lower-cost fountains that were more modest in size, both traditional water gardens and koi ponds well into less costly to run and keep up and far less mainte- the early 2000s. nance, no matter their socio-economic status. Those However, in the last 12 years we have seen a drastic who were dumped underwater by plummeting house reduction in the small, naturalistic backyard ponds that values and had to sell in a glut market needed to exploded onto the scene just as Ledbetter published spruce the house up for sale, just to have a shot at his Profile. New installations of ecosystem ponds attracting those who could still afford to buy and had have dropped off significantly, as have sales of pond their pick to choose from. For those who had to stay in skimmers and upflow biofilters, hallmarks of the style. their homes, it made sense to invest in the home rather Personally, I have seen far more rebuilds of existing than spend on vacations they could no longer afford to ponds than new installations, and the new work that is travel to, and the “Staycation” was born. Rather than coming in is more likely than not at the new home of an imitation of nature, the backyard becomes the resort an existing pond owner. Of those, some few are full- destination without the plane trip. bore koi ponds with smooth sides, bottom drains and He could not have predicted the generational com- active bog filtration to handle the prodigious wastes ponent to the change in water features we are now that koi produce. seeing. Ledbetter might have figured out that Baby That high-end market still exists. But a far greater Boomers would be aging out, and with them the DIY number have given up on ponds altogether. Those drive to get out and build their own features. How who still want naturalistic waterfalls and streams are could he have known the generations that followed far more likely these days to end them in underground would be more interested in screens and apps than reservoirs rather than open water, hence the names dirt and sweat equity? But Ledbetter’s prediction that “pondless” or “pond-free.” These features liberate the industry would trend towards fountains on hard homeowners and businesses from the biology of surfaces was spot on. The backyard wildlife refuge ponds, eliminate most issues with algae, alleviate con- has been replaced by the “Outdoor Living Area,” with cerns of liability and vandalism associated with open outdoor kitchen, firepit and huge smart screen, not to water, lower costs of installation and upkeep, while mention remote control via smartphone. We have seen still providing most of the aesthetics of moving water, ‘new and original thrusts in regard to design’. Illumi- minus the fish. However, these features appear to be nated fountains synchronized to color changing landon the wane, even while we have seen an upswing in scape lighting, bubbling boulders and vases dancing installations over the last decade. How is that pos- to music, sheer descents, spouts and spillways orna- sible? menting fireplaces, overflowing cauldrons with flames dancing on the water, waterwalls alongside entryways What Ledbetter also foresaw was that the trend to- and into pools—all decorate the modern hardscape. wards smaller yards and an emphasis on “hard sur- The walls and patios of these “Outdoor Living Areas” P. 18 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

are the new canvas, with water and LED lighting, a huge and complementary component of the new back Events Calendar yard, prominent on the new palette. If you would like to submit water garden events for the next edition of the Journal, please send your listing “Water in the Hardscape” has been the direction before September 1 to [email protected]. towards which water features have steered over the last 10 years. I believe the next trends will be in a • The Midwest Pond & Koi Society invites you to greener direction. With feedback and control of irriga- their member’s gardens and ponds. This year is our tion, lighting and flow literally at anyone’s fingertips, 28th year of MPKS members opening their backyards anywhere they may be in the world, I see a movement to the public. The dates are July 21st, 22nd, 28th, and back towards the plant side next. The Hardscape is due 29th. The hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on each of for a softening, and people are looking for healthier the 4 days. lifestyles. Those factors point towards a return to true The Garden and Pond Tour is divided into regions water gardening, with a focus on plants again. But not to help minimize the travel time and increase your just ornamental greenery. I see the desire for organic enjoyment of leisurely visiting the gardens and ponds. foods, energy efficiency and renewables steering The Tour is self-guided, so you may pick and choose towards hydroponic and aquaponic features that soften to visit one or all of the many beautiful gardens and hardscapes while providing consumables, kitchen ponds listed. See https://mpks.org. waterwalls that insulate south-facing vertical surfaces • The Minnesota Water Garden Society’s annual tour with culinary herbs, green roofs and rain harvesting is Saturday and Sunday, July 28-29 from 9 a.m. to 5 tied to recirculating “gurglers” that freshen and oxy- p.m. both days. Gardens are concentrated in the north- genate irrigation water, solar and wind driven pumps east quarter of the greater Twin Cities metropolitan that move grey water through the plantings. The new area. There are 11 sites on this year’s tour. In addition trend in water features will be less ornamental, more to streams, waterfalls, large Koi and aquatic plants, sustainable, and I’m sure Ledbetter is already building visitors will see a working water wheel, a grotto and a them. Chinese-inspire garden. More about the gardens plus ticket information is available at www.MWGS.org. About the Author Although he’s been playing in puddles since he could • September 7-9 25th ZNA Potomac Koi Show, Mead- walk, Demi Fortuna has only been constructing water owlark Gardens in Vienna, VA (outside of Washington, features since 1986. When he’s not out in the field DC). See details at znapotomac.org. building with his sons Edwin and Ely and their faithful wonderdog Megan, Demi is the Director of Product Information for Atlantic Water Gardens. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 19 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

fer, swamp or marsh. NASA has experimented with How-To the technique for waste treatment on space stations. Active Bog Filtration Some Sanitation Facilities use it in waste water treat- By Anita Nolan Nelson ment. Nelson Water Gardens has been building bog gravel filters for the past 18 years. Before I get started I first heard about Active Bog Filtration through an here is a famous quote: article in the Journal written by Dick Schuck some- time before 1994. When I went to college I majored in “Learn from the mistakes of others, Horticulture, I often wonder if I had taken the required you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself” Agronomy (study of soils) course before my senior –Eleanor Roosevelt year perhaps my path would have gone in a different Over the last 20 years of constructing Active Bog direction. The Sanitation Waste Management segment Filters, we’ve made plenty of mistakes and have also of the course really fascinated me; that you could take refined the process. We’ve given countless lectures something disgusting (fecal waste, rotting food, decay- and workshops and have learned from the feedback ing plant manner, etc.) and turn it into something good of the audience. I’m going to start with the mistakes (plant fertilizer) was to me simply amazing. Turning we made, to remove immediately any pre-conceived waste into a resource is exactly what an Active Bog notions. In some instances the right way to do it seems filter can do for you. It turns fish and plant waste into wrong. For example, if a little bit of gravel does the fertilizer (plant food). This plant food is then con- job then a lot of gravel should be even better right? sumed by the plants growing in the filter. The happy Well…not when it comes to depth of the filter bed, byproduct of this process is clear water and low main- build deeper than 12" and the system can fail. Surface tenance. If a gravel bog filter had a mission statement is key, the greater the surface area the more filtration! this is what it would be: So here are the top 9 mistakes made construction Ac- To create an environment that maximizes organic tive Bog Filters: decomposition and nutrient absorption thus starving 1. Too deep a bed of gravel—this is the most common the (always present) algae in the pond while looking mistake made, you need no more than 12" of gravel gorgeous! substrate. If you are adding an Active Bog Filter to an Let’s be clear about (pun intended) why ponds turn existing deep pond area; construct a false bottom using green. The green water is comprised of billions of tiny grating. one celled plants called algae. Like all plants, algae 2. The bog is too small: For water gardens 10–15% needs sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients of surface area should be bog, and for koi ponds there to grow, eliminate any one of these elements and it should be 25–30%. will not grow. Active Bog Filters are extremely effi- 3. Wrong size gravel—use 3/8" pea gravel. Period. cient at removing nutrients from the pond water, thus End of story. “starving”the algae. 4. Not capping the pipes, water follows the path of least resistance and will simply shoot out the ends This mission is accomplished by pumping pond water instead of through the slots. evenly though a gravel bed via a grid of perforated 5. Not enough plants—initially you should plant one pipework. The gravel provides the surface area for plant per square foot. nitrifying bacteria to colonize. The bacteria reduce fish 6. Wrong plants—there are many aggressive species and plant waste into plant food. Growing in the gravel which can clog the pipes and grow out of the filter. are bog plants that take up the plant food. The water is 7. Washing the soil off the roots of the plants before returned to the pond stripped of all nutrients thereby planting in the gravel. Don’t do this! There is not “starving” the algae which cannot grow. enough nutrition in a new bog to sustain new trans- Active Bog Filtration is not new, Mother Nature has plants. Just knock the pot off the plant and plant it soil, been using this technique for eons, we call it an aqui- roots and all directly into the gravel. We promise the soil will not “contaminate” the bog. P. 20 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal

8. Not taking the plants out of their pots; this severely 3. Fig 1 illustrates (see illustration on page 2 of this limits the plants ability to absorb nutrients and defeats issue) burying the pipe line from the pump to the filter. the purpose of the gravel bog filter. However, we recommend laying a flexible pipe* in 9. Starving the bog; this happens when a pre-filter is the bottom of the pond. Just run the tubing through the placed on the intake of the pump, this not only stresses lower portion of the wall connecting the pump to the the pump but defeats the entire purpose of the bog distribution pipes in the bog filter. Put a PVC female by starving the plants of the nutrients that are being adapter fitted with the appropriate sized hose barb fit- caught in the pre-filter. ting to receive the flex hose from your pump. 4. Install the pump on the opposite side of the pond We are speaking of a true mechanical pre-filter (usu- from where the bog filter is located. This is to facili- ally made from foam pads which need frequent clean- tate good circulation of water throughout the pond. ings) and not the pump protector or intake screen we Select a pump that will turn the volume of the pond recommend using. over every 1-2 hours. (You can go with a higher flow Even a gravel bog filter constructed all wrong works rate if you wish.) to a certain degree. Near our shop, our local county 5. Next cut slots into the distribution pipe. The outlet park had a Koi pond so dirty you couldn’t see an inch of the pump determines the size of the pipes. Always into the water. When a Partition Active Bog Filter was bump up the pipes for efficient use of the pump. For added 3–5" rocks were used instead of 3/8" gravel example use 1" pipe on pumps with ¾" outlet. Mini- (Why? I don’t know!) and the plants were left in their mum pipe size is 1" diameter for small bogs, though pots. Despite these drawbacks, the pond did clear to a 1½" piping is recommended for most other bogs to 12" depth! It has since been redone properly. avoid the possibility of clogging. The pipe is cut with slots approximately 1" apart. A Gravel Bog Filter can be constructed in any number 6. Attach a vertical capped stand pipe to the pipe ma- of ways, examples of the most common configurations trix under the gravel. Cut this pipe (now referred to as we have used in constructing water gardens. the “clean out pipe”) to discreetly rise just above the 1. Partition: The filter is within the pond separated by gravel bed. Spray paint the cap black or brown and it a porous retaining wall. will “disappear” from view.** 2. Raised: The filter is built next to and higher than the 7. Next lay the distribution pipe on top of the pond pond; water flows back via a stream or waterfall. liner in the area partitioned off for the bog filter. 3. Border: A ledge 12" deep and as wide as it needs to Gravel bogs that are 2-3 feet in width can be fed by a be is constructed around the perimeter of the pond. At single line of pipe. Wider areas require additional lines the edge of the ledge a porous wall is built to retain the spaced 2–3' apart. This layout is similar to setting up a gravel. septic drain field. 4. Island: Created by building a porous retaining wall 8. Cap the ends of the distribution pipes and clean out on all sides in the middle of the pond. pipes. (See mistake #4). 9. Once you are satisfied with your piping layout and Directions location of the clean out pipe(s), glue all parts to- 1. Follow the usual directions for building a liner gether. Hook up to pump and turn on the see if water pond. Size is determined by pond surface: 10- 30% of is evenly distributed. the pond surface should make up the bog. If you plan 10. Shovel 3/8" pea gravel into the Active Bog Filter to stock a lot of fish or koi, go with a larger size. area but only fill halfway (the rest of the gravel will 2. Using Cinder Block, Stone, Bricks or any other be added during the planting). Most gravel is not very stable building material construct a dry wall (no mor- clean, wash it as best you can before adding to the tar used) to section off the bog filter from the rest of filter but be aware it will muddy up the pond, do not to the pond. We recommend using cinder blocks (painted worry, it will clear up. After all, that’s what the filter is black with exterior latex paint) and then “capping off” designed to do! The construction process is finished, the blocks with a decorative stone of your choice. now it’s time to plant your bog. International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 21 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2

* Using tubing within the pond means less leakage, > Suggested plants for a bog: Arrowhead easier repairs, and less likely to be damaged. Assorted Taros ** The under gravel pipes can be cleaned out by Blue Carex Blue Rush simply removing the cap from the stand pipe; water Bog Lily pressure from the pump will help dislodge any debris Canna Chinese Water Chestnut that has collected in the pipes. A reverse flow can be Corkscrew Rush achieved by turning off the pump and putting a pres- Creeping Jenny Dwarf Horsetail sure washer down the stand pipe. Dwarf Papyrus Dwarf Sweetflag Japanese Iris Planting the Active Bog Filter Lizards Tail 1. Select your bog plants and arrange them in the bog Louisiana Iris Melon Sword area that is half filled with gravel. It’s best to plant Red Stemmed Sagittaria the tall plants towards the back of the filter, and lower Ribbon Grass Ruby Creeper growing plants in front. Create interest by contrasting Ruby Eye Arrowheand plants with different foliage colors or textures. Sensitive Plant Siberian Iris 2. After you have arranged the plants to your satisfac- Spider Lily tion knock the pots off the plants and place the plant Star Grass with the root ball intact with soil. Do not remove the Variegated Spider Lily Variegated Water Celery soil—there is not enough nutrition in a brand new bog > Plants that are invasive in a bog: to sustain the plants. (Trust us the soil will not wash All Cattails into your pond.) Aquatic Mint Chameleon Plant 3. After the plants have been placed, gently shovel in Chocolate Mint the remaining gravel. Your goal is to place the plants Gold Rush Reed Horsetail at the appropriate level so that when the rest of the Mediterranean Reed gravel is added the gravel level will be above the Parrot’s Feather Pennywort water level. In other words, no standing water in the Red Stemmed Thalia gravel filter area. Umbrella Palm Yellow Iris 4. Turn on your pump and your Active Bog Filter is now off and running with years of clear water enjoy- About the Author ment to come. Anita Nelson is one of the co-founders of Nelson Water Gardens in Katy, Texas, USA. Anita writes the Here’s a list of Suggested Plants and it is by no means newsletter, gives lectures, manages the gift item buy- complete. Depending on your location and climate you ing and inventory, oversees bog plant propagation and can experiment with all sorts of plants. We even grew works inside the showroom. Agave successfully in one of our bogs. This Septem- ber I will be moderating a panel; “You Grew What?!?” in which we discuss some of the more interesting plants we have grown in our bogs. We’d love to hear what you grew in your Active Bog Filter P. 22 International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Vol. 33, No. 2 Water Garden Journal Plant Research Creating New Waterlilies in a Tiny Rooftop Nursery By Zijun Li Guangzhou, the city I live in, is surrounded by various plants, and as a child, I have been fascinated by ponds full of aquatic plants. Luckily for me, I live in an old building with a tiny rooftop, a place to cultivate a world of my own, far away from the real world that’s around me, and putting on music while I am watering the plants is how I spend most of my mornings before school. The passion for cultivating aquatic plants on my little roof nursery had began at my age of 10 and continued through the years. Waterlilies were not the primary focus of my little nursery until one of my friends showed me his waterlily pond, I was deeply shocked by the fragrant, charming blooms on the pond and made up my mind to create waterlily hybrids of my own from then on. So, to achieve my dream, I stared hybridizing waterli- ies in 2011. N. ‘August Koch’, N. ‘Ruby’, N. lotus, N. odorata, and N. ‘Peter ‘were the parents of my very first batch hybrids since they were easy and not ex- pensive for me to collect from the market. Seedlings from the first crosses were all vigorous, they grew fast and bloomed the next year, however, I culled them all kind of waterlily fascinates you most? If you are one out because they were beautiful but anonymous also. of the double tropical fans, the native N. ampla would In order to get stunning hybrids, dozens new cultivars be the best to be added to your Parents List. Want a were added to my “Parent List,” furthermore, spe- cold tolerant tropical? Viviparous lilies or N. gracilis cies- species hybridization and intersubgeneric hybrid- descendants are pretty nice choices for hybridization. ization were put into the program too. Several of the N. odorata stem provides sweet-scent hybrids, but crosses produced seeds, I collected them to germinate in the heated tank in the winter of 2012. Thanks to the artificial conditions (see photo at right), all seedlings from 2012 bloomed at the summer of 2013, though 90% of them were still anonymous, but eventually, something special began to emerge. Therefore, I kept working this way and hitherto, more than 10 hybrids have been selected and named from over thousand seedlings! For those of you who are desperate to try hybridizing new waterlilies on your own, you should first conceive the intention and goals of your ideal hybrid. What International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society P. 23 Water Garden Journal Vol. 33, No. 2 most of the hybrids are annoying for container keepers due to their long rhizomes. For my part, “singing the blues” has not been getting old, species-species crosses is kind of retro-style art, but is the first choice. Hybrids derived from two species are simple and typical mostly, but interesting plants with vigorous growth habit could be selected if you have keen eyes. Except for species-species crosses, to hybridize waterlilies belonging to different subgenera is also my major. Hybrids of distance hybridization exhibit large differences in flower shape, color and leaf pattern so that distance hybridization is a high-efficiency method producing new fantastic plants. The next step is to collect pollen then pollinate the pod parent flowers, it should be mentioned at this point that, unwanted pollens exist everywhere, so you should never skip castrating and bagging the flowers. Harvesting seeds from fertilized pods and cultivating them into flowering sized plants are not something difficult to achieve but to judge if the seedlings are outstanding or recognizable enough to be named is the hardest part. I very much agree with what James Knock says, the art is not what you keep, but what you throw away. To me, recognizable flowers always come first, and long, consistent flowering habit should be the second criterion. Hybridizers are like gamblers— heart-stirring things only come out sporadically,—but more than that, hybridizers are artists also, waterlilies One of my registered lotus hybrids N. ‘Yueguang Qu’(Song of the Moon). in different styles reflecting the aesthetic standard of each hybridizers’ personality absolutely. In short, to create your own hybrids is not a bad idea, because life is messy and full of surprises. And lastly, I wish to express a big Thank You to those reading this article, I am sure that we hold similar enthusiasm and desire of the captivating waterlilies, so there’s no place I’d rather be than smack dab on this little roof top making new waterlilies for you, because you and the waterlilies, and this place, are my love, my life, my lust for life. About the Author Zijun Li was born in Guangzhou, China in 1995, he One of my best hybrids N. ’Detective Erika’. Over 10 huge ﬂowers could be received his Bachelor of Landscape from Zhongkai produced simultaneously and what’s more, the neat petals are always without University of Agriculture and Engineering in 2017. hook or crinkle. Zijun has been collecting and hybridizing waterlilies for 7 years. For further information, contact him at http://kufu61.blog.163.com/ or [email protected]. THE WATER GARDEN JOURNAL Volume 33 Number 2

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