Waterlilies for surface cover in the pond

Waterlilies for surface cover in the pond

Need waterlilies to add more surface cover to your pond?

Now is a good time to add more waterlilies of all sizes to your pond.

  • Waterlilies are the favourite surface cover plants for a pond because of their colourful flowers in Summer.
  • The aim is to cover half to two thirds of the pond surface in Summer with plant growth.
  • This keeps the water cooler and shaded below the surface to help avoid blanketweed and algae.
  • Choose the size of waterlily that will achieve this spread in about 3 years.
  • Another plant that will give surface cover over the pond over time are Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae).
  • These are sent as 3 barerooted plantlets that float freely on the water surface and rise and fall with the water temperature.
  • They drop to the base in Winter as dormant buds that look like apple pips.
  • They are slow to spread in their first year but multiply well over time.

Waterlily Size and Spread:

  • Water lilies are available from Miniature through to large Pond waterlilies for larger ponds.
  • The Miniature waterlilies are suitable for a barrel pond or very small pond. The whole plant may only reach the size of a side plate.
  • Each leaf only 3cm(1 inch) wide.
  • Dwarf waterlilies are slightly larger in spread across the pond surface with each leaf around 6cm(2-3 inches) wide.
  • Aurora is the smallest and almost like a Miniature.
  • The larger Pond waterlilies can have a single leaf 9-11cm/3-4'" wide.
  • There is only one British Native waterlily - Nymphaea alba. This is a white waterlily and one plant can spread up to 2m across.

Waterlily Water Depth:

  • Each size of waterlily will grow in a different depth of water so make sure you take this into account when choosing which variety you want.
  • All waterlilies need to have the top of the basket placed below the potential ice level of the water in Winter.
  • Miniatures need a maximum 15cm(6 inches) of water over the top of the 11cm/inch basket.
  • Dwarf waterlilies will accept 25cm(10 inches) of water over the basket.
  • Pond waterlilies are in 2 categories (growing in  either 15cm or 23cm baskets) - those with <p>Suitable for shelf depth 23-44cm (approx 10-17”) below water surface</p> under the image (Medium)are less vigorous in spread and grow with less water over the basket than a <p>Suitable for shelf depth 14-22cm (approx 6-9”)</p> larger waterlily which could, eventually, reach a metre deep.

 

  • Miniature Waterlilies -
  • Dwarf Waterlilies -
  • Pond Waterlilies 

Medium size:

Large size:

Additional Feed -

  • Waterlilies will benefit from being fed twice a year. Once in early Spring and again mid-Summer.
  • Choose the XL Aquatic feed ball for larger waterlilies sent in 23cm(9inch) round baskets each feed.
  • Use one Feed balls for Aquatic plants for smaller waterlilies sent in 11cm square baskets each feed.
  • You can also use these smaller feed balls in all your other flowering Pond Plants in 11cm baskets.
  • Or use 3 smaller feed ball in the large 23cm baskets and 2 in the 15 cm baskets.
  • Push the Aquatic feed ball into the compost of the basket to give their flowering and growth a boost.