I love photographing water lilies!!!! Several of the local botanical gardens have displays of water lilies during the summer months. The ones at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania are always spectacular. This year I finally managed to visit when a few of the Victoria Water lilies were in bloom.
Here are some of the varieties I photographed at Longwood this year.
Longwood Hybrid Water Platter – a Victoria Water Lily. The Victoria Water Lilies are known for their large green leaves that float at the surface of the water.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Santa Cruz – another Victoria Water Lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
I also photographed several water lilies belonging to the Nymphaea genus.
Mrs. George C. Hitchcock – a tropical night flowering water lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
St. Louis Gold – a tropical day flowering water lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Sturtevant – a tropical night flowering water lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Trudy Slocum – a tropical night flowering water lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Rose de Noche – a tropical night flowering water lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
And Chromatella – a hardy day flowering water lily
© 2011 Patty Hankins
I’m hoping to visit Kenilworth Gardens in DC in the next few weeks – their water lilies should be blooming. And from what I’ve heard they have a very impressive display of Victoria Water Lilies! I’ll let you know what I find!