Growing medium sized water lilies in small container ponds?

[Joshaeus]

Hi everyone! Today I got a gorgeous 19 inch resin planter that holds about 10 gallons and which I am going to use for a water garden next year. Obviously, that isn't very large by water garden standards...would I be limited to dwarf water lilies in this container, or is there a way to get larger water lilies (medium sized perhaps?) to grow well in such a container, perhaps with judicious pruning or by dividing every year? I REALLY want a purple water lily next year, but the few purple hardy water lilies all have 4 ft spreads...and, up here in zone 5 in an above ground container pond, there is basically no season for tropical water lilies (even in July nighttime temps average well below 70). Thanks

 

[j.w]

I have 3 regular water lilies that I just put in a container but it's prolly more like 50 gals or so. Time will tell if they are too big for the tub.

 

[mrsclem]

I had some small pieces of lily roots that we put in a 100 gallon stock tank early this summer. Tank is now completely full, leaves above the water and 5-10 flowers every day. Pulling them now and potting them up. They have been very heavily fertilized!

 

[Joshaeus]

How amusing! Guess it's possible then...thanks