I've previously enjoyed two waterlilies in my stock-tank pond, both have bloomed yellow. When Matthew, aka The Lents Farmer, offered up a division of his Nymphaea 'Almost Black', well I jumped! But months went by and I never made it over to his place to pick it up. I suggested he bring it to a few of our bloggers meet-ups, but he kept insisting it was too big to easily transport. Oh My God. He was right. One day late this spring he and the Mardi Gras Gardener (two rather strong guys) brought it by. It took both of them to haul it in and drop it in the water. The impact it made was immediate. the leaves were so large! Finally, it started blooming on July 3rd...
This is actually the third flower, a fourth (and fifth) are on the way.
I recently found a listing of "birth flowers my month" (yes this is a florist created list) and was surprised to see each month now has two flowers, I remember there only being one. Anyway... my birthday is at the end of this week and I grew up knowing Larkspur as my "birth flower"... well now they list waterlily too! I like this development.
Larkspur though, I'll admit I've never really know what a Larkspur is, how is it different from a Delphinium? Maybe a little smaller, less robust, but that's it. So I went looking to find out and some pages say they're actually different names for the same thing. Others say Larkspur is an annual while Delphinium is a perennial. Then I found this page Flower.Style and they set me straight.
Weather Diary, July 17: Hi 91, Low 63/ Precip 0
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That is a beautiful flower! You should try growing larkspur too, it was so easy from seed (especially under those berry cloches). Thanks for the link to how they're different, I always just thought larkspur was like Delphinium, but an annual. The flower looks very like a delph, but not as robust, more airy.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Happy Birthday!
Thanks Alison!
DeleteWe only have hardy waterlilies in our garden which typically are not such dramatic colors. What a great flower. Happy almost birthday.
ReplyDeleteThis one seems pretty hardy, some sources say Zone 3, others say 4.
DeleteA beautiful waterlily, never seen one so dark– and a nice gift. Happy birthday in advance!
ReplyDeleteI adore black flowers, this one is close!
DeleteWhat a gorgeous thing that waterlily is! It makes me want to get a water-tight stock tank to grow water lilies (although I can only imagine what the raccoons might do with that). Larkspur and waterlily are MUCH better birth flowers than lilies of the valley and hawthorn, both of which are lovely but neither of which grow here. (Well, Indian hawthorn, Raphiolepsis, does but it's rather boring.)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!
P.S I always associate your b-day with lilies because I remember they bloom up your way this time of year. Maybe birth flowers should be defined by geography/climate.
I love lilies of the valley! They smell wonderful and make great cut flowers. The raccoon jerks are why my tank has a partial fence around it this year.
DeleteWhat a beautiful flower & nice of the guys to deliver it! Perfect for your birth month. (I've got asters and morning glory - weeds.) Happy birthday, pal!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, how do florists take advantage of morning glory as a birthflower? That's an odd one...
DeleteI so love to see my water babies go out into the world and flourish and hopefully create some more waterlily lovers along the way! There's always room for one more! And remember to fertilize!
ReplyDeleteI've been giving it a double dose of the pond tabs...just about the only things that get fertilized around here are the waterlilies.
DeleteWhoa - that is a GORGEOUS water lily! I love it!!! Thanks for the the nice distraction, and also for the fun link. I didn't know the two were different. I found the quote "...larkspur also has yellows, oranges, reds and maroons." rather interesting information, but don't think I've ever seen one in either of those colors. Have a wonderful birthday! (Now I'm off to see what MY birthday month flowers are... Anna
ReplyDeleteAnd what are they? (your flowers)
DeleteEarly Happy Birthday. The link you provided explains the connection and differences of the two plants, but at the end it says: "Delphinium is the birth month flower for July"... hmmm. Amazing bloom on those water lilies; I wish you had captured the 2 men carrying it over to the water :-)
ReplyDeleteI totally missed that! (obviously) Good eye. Confusion reins...
DeleteOh man, maybe I should ‘dip my toe in the pool’ so to speak next year! Now, where the heck to put them! Alan
ReplyDelete