My lotus has finally bloomed! (and other pics of the water garden)

[JenH]

So, I have been waiting for almost a week for my lotus to finally open some of her buds. They've just been reaching up there teasing me! Finally this morning one was open and I am so in love with this plant! Also, found a somewhat baby frog he is sitting on the small lily pads btw, and noticed at least 2 tiny little black fish babies (they're impossible to capture on camera though). Also took some other pics around the pond. I've been watering like crazy and despite the awful heat and no rain my flowers still look pretty decent, I think. And last but not least couldn't resist these 2 little guys I found at Wal-Mart yesterday (one koi and one shubunkin)! Can you believe Wal-Mart!!

The water lily with the huge leaves is the one I got from Menards (almost black) I think it's pretty safe to say I will have lots of that to share next spring when it's time to divide!

 

[Mmathis]

Just beautiful! I like the shading of the pinks in the bloom! And that's a LOTUS, not a LILY? I'm still learning Cute froggie [good pic, too, BTW]! I love your waterfall -- where is the origin?

 

[addy1]

Beautiful pictures.

Those lotus are slow to get going then once the decide to open it is quick! then will shut in the afternoon, open again for a few days. I can see one of mine opened, sigh not home to enjoy it lol.

 

[JenH]

Just beautiful! I like the shading of the pinks in the bloom! And that's a LOTUS, not a LILY? I'm still learning Cute froggie [good pic, too, BTW]! I love your waterfall -- where is the origin?

Thank you. What do you mean by the origin? The first 3 pics are of the lotus. There is a lily bloom in the other pics too. The lily leaves float and the lotus leaves and flowers are above the water.

 

[koiguy1969]

very cool... like the looks of lotus. just not too practical here.

 

[JenH]

Really Koiguy? I heard they were hardy to z5 some even to z4?

 

[j.w]

Very nice pix Jen and the lotus is beautiful!
I think TM meant how did you get the water to flow down the falls? I presume you have a water pumping up through a tube?

 

[JenH]

Ahhh, ok. It's not too hard to confuse me sometimes. LOL. If your looking at the pic that shows almost my whole pond and bog, In the lower right corner (cutoff from the picture) I have an external skimmer box and 3500gph pump. The flexible tubing runs from there underground to the bottom of the right side of the bog. Bulkhead fitting there and on the inside is hard pvc pipe with slits. The water just flows up through the gravel and out. When building the bog I built the front lower then the rest so the water would overflow there to create my falls.

 

[Mmathis]

Thank you. What do you mean by the origin?

What JW said.

I can see now, that it's bog overflow. Nice. I like that!

 

[koiguy1969]

Really Koiguy? I heard they were hardy to z5 some even to z4?

WELL i may have that wrong...maybe i'll look into one next year.

 

[addy1]

Just need to keep the tuber from freezing if they are hardies.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

Oh my word those lotus are huge! and gorgeous!!

 

[taherrmann4]

WELL i may have that wrong...maybe i'll look into one next year.

You could probably take them into your indoor pond...

 

[pondlover]

Everything looks fabulous!

 

[Julia]

Beautiful, lovely, super Nice!