First time lily recommendations?

[EricV]

I'm at the stage where I am thinking of ordering some plants. I think I have what I want for shallow water plants mostly sorted out: Arrow Arum, Horsetail Rush, blue flag iris, and water forget-me-not.

Now I'm looking at lilies too. I think I want 4-5 for my pond as I want room to add a hardy lotus next year. Can someone give me some recommendations on easy to care for lilies that are

• Suitable for a pond of about 11x16
• Plant shelves at 1', 2' and bottom at 3'
• Hardy in zone 5
• variety of colors (pink, red, white, blue, yellow)
• Easy for a first time water gardener

Thanks!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Stay away from the large water lilies as they may have a leaf spread of 9 to 12 feet. Most reputable aquatic nurseries will list the foliage spread on water lilies. Also lilies will do better planted at a 2 or 3 foot depth.

 

[EricV]

I'm looking at things that are 3-5' spreads, figuring that's a good size for this pond. I also want to save room for a lotus next year.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Confirming you have full sun. There are some that do ok in part shade (Helvola)

 

[Lisak1]

Colorado is one of my favorites - the flowers go from pink to peach as they mature. Very pretty! It's a big spreader though - more in the 5 foot range.

With your size pond (almost identical in size to ours) I think you'll do well with three plants total of any variety though. More than that and you may find yourself over crowded. Also remember all those pots need dividing, if not every year then for sure every other. Less plants, less work, same effect! And if you do decide you need more plants, they'll be free to you next year!

 

[addy1]

I love my Colorado, it blooms constantly popping up multiple flowers. They stand out of the water. It is a large lily, but all you need to do is groom a few leafs off now and then to keep the foot print a bit smaller I have not groomed at all, so far, this year. There are 10-15 lilies in the pond, currently.

 

[EricV]

Thanks Addy and Lisa. Yes, basically full sun. So far the only shade is early morning and late afternoon.

 

[Sugar]

I am in love with my James Brydon. Mine is from Lowes and first flowered less than 4 weeks after bought/planted, and keeps blooming since. I have it in full sun, I am in zone 5 and we don't get too hot here (rarely over 90). I mention it because from what I read, JB doesn't perform well in too hot climates, but I see you are in Chicago which should be the same zone/temps as here.
If I had to pick three, I would go with three different colors and the red one would be definitely James Brydon.
Also, some of the waterlilies have their flowers on the water surface (JB being one of them), others rise above water surface (Colorado for example - mine doesn't flower yet though). That's another thing to consider.

 

[Mmathis]

I have a "Sioux" that has never let me down. It's a changeable, but I'm not sure of the order that the colors change. It goes through yellow to peachy. The spread is maybe 3'-6'.

 

[Mmathis]

@EricV I just realized something.... Are you looking for hardy (that go dormant in the pond during winter and come back in spring) or tropical (that, depending on where you live, have to be removed from the pond and stored over winter)? That is something to consider.

What made me think to ask is that you mentioned "blue," which is pretty much only found in tropicals -- and I've never understood why the darn plants do that to us!!

 

[Linus_Cello]

There are purple hardies. Not sure how vigorous they are. http://www.floridaaquatic.com/purple_hardy_waterlily.htm

The Marliac hybrids (hardy) are generally vigorous.

 

[EricV]

@EricV I just realized something.... Are you looking for hardy (that go dormant in the pond during winter and come back in spring) or tropical (that, depending on where you live, have to be removed from the pond and stored over winter)? That is something to consider.

What made me think to ask is that you mentioned "blue," which is pretty much only found in tropicals -- and I've never understood why the darn plants do that to us!!

Oh, only hardy lilies. I didn't realize that about the blue ones, but thanks! I think with three lilies per Addy's suggestion and blue flag iris, I can skip a blue lily.