Claude Monet was quite taken with water lilies. The French Impressionist of the late 19th and early 20th century, brushed some 250 canvases with his splendid oils depicting the water lilies in his flower garden in Giverny.
At long last, our little garden pond is now blessed with a blooming lily and to behold this magnificent flower, you can see why Monet was so obsessed with these beauties.
Water lilies are grown throughout the world. The white water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh as well as the state flower for Andhra Pardesh in India. It is, however, considered an invasive species and has proven difficult to eradicate once established.
We don’t have that problem in our small garden pond. Both Nancy and I, as well as our frogs, are great admirers. We have had lily pads from our plant since early spring, but just this week did we see the first bloom. A water lily flower will bloom just a few days, then dies, but other blooms are quick to follow.
The plant, of course, is strictly aquatic. The lilies are rooted in soil. We have ours growing from under-water buckets of dirt. The leaves push to the top, take hold and the plants produce blooms.
They are a joy to behold. If Monsieur Monet was still around, he’s come to our back yard, he’s get out his oils and start brushing.