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Regular price From £25Regular price
£36Sale price From £25Pink Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Madame Wilfron Gonnère'
An absolute superstar
- Distinctive, dahlia-like double blooms
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Plant in full sunshine (at least six hours)
- Blooms all the way from June until September
2 options available
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£36Sale price From £25Pink Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Charles de Meurville'
Intense magenta hues
- Decadent, pink-to-wine-coloured water lily
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Prefers a fully sunny position
- Hardy, floriferous and long-flowering
2 options available
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£36Sale price From £25Large Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Paul Hariot'
Beautiful, painterly shades
- Apricot to orange-pink blooms
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Loves full sun (six hours or more)
- An ideal size for the average pond
4 options available
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£36Sale price From £25Large Pink Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Rose Arey'
A pink star for larger ponds
- Stunning star-shaped, pink blooms
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Plant in full sun for the best flowers
- Robust, floriferous and long-blooming
2 options available
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£36Sale price From £25Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Marliacea Albida'
Fragrant, free-flowering classic
- Stunning bowl-shaped, perfumed blooms
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Thrives in full sun
- The ideal size for medium to large ponds
2 options available
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£36Sale price From £25Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Albatross'
A big water lily for big impact
- Snowy white petals and lush, leathery leaves
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Perfect for a sunny pond
- Floriferous without being overly vigorous
2 options available
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Regular price From £22Regular price
£30Sale price From £22Dwarf Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Xiafei'
Perfect for container ponds
- Dainty magenta blooms
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- A sun-loving plant (six hours or more)
- A small waterlily, perfect for compact ponds
Currently out of stock
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Regular price From £22Regular price
£30Sale price From £22Yellow Dwarf Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Pygmaea Helvola'
A pond full of yellow stars
- Delicate little flowers in butter yellow hues
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Thrives in a sunny spot
- RHS Award of Garden Merit winner
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Carmine Red Water Lily | Nymphaea 'James Brydon'
Award-winning, red superstar
- Carmine red flowers and maroon-flecked leaves
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Loves the sun (don't we all?)
- RHS Award of Garden Merit winner
Currently out of stock
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£30Sale price From £22Red Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Perry's Baby Red'
Compact, prolific and vibrant
- Punchy blooms in reddish pink
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Place this water lily in full sun
- RHS Award of Garden Merit winner
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Blush Pink Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Gloire du Temple sur Lot'
Up to 100 petals per flower!
- Showy, fully double flowers in powder pink
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Appreciates a sunny position
- Long-flowering from June through to September
Currently out of stock
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Yellow Water Lily | Nuphar lutea
Scented, floating buttercups
- Fragrant yellow, cupped blooms on stalks
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Thrives in full sun or partial shade
- Flowers from June to August
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Star Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Arc-en-Ciel'
Scented lily with unique leaves
- Distinctive paint-flecked, variegated foliage
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Grow in full sun
- Fragrant, floriferous and fully hardy
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Dwarf Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Solfatare'
A different colour every day...
- From yellow, to orange, to red, to pink!
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Full sun is best (tolerates part shade)
- Attractive mottled foliage
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Dwarf Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Snow Princess'
Ideal for miniature ponds!
- Adorable blooms in snow white and yellow
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Ideal for a sunny pond
- Free-flowering and vigorous
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Fragrant Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Pink Peony'
Bright pink & perfectly perfumed
- Bold pink shades and bright yellow stamens
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Prefers a sunny pond
- Alluring, peony-shaped flowers
Currently out of stock
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£36Sale price From £25Yellow Water Lily | Nymphaea 'Colonel A.J. Welch'
One of the hardiest water lilies
- Wonderfully contrasting flowers and foliage
- Zone 3 - Deep water
- Likes full sun
- Helps prevent algal buildups
Currently out of stock
Enfield
Meet Caroline
A deep dive into sustainable gardening
Nestled amongst wildlife meadows and resident ducks, Caroline’s award winning pond plant nursery in Enfield has been making a splash since 1965, when they invented the (recycled, obvs) aquatic basket. Sixty years and multiple RHS gold medals later, they’re still surprising us with new varieties every year!
Need help picking?
Which water lily?
There are a huge number of water lilies out there, and these floating flowerers make an excellent addition to any pond garden – there’s a reason Monet painted so many! If you’ve got a large pond, then you’ll have the room for bigger varieties like 'Marliacea Carnea' and 'Gladstoniana', while small ponds (and container/tub ponds) will benefit from more compact, diminutive varieties like 'Pygmaea Helvola' and ‘Perry’s Baby Red’. For the showiest blooms, choose ‘Gloire du Temple-sur-Lot', whose flowers can have up to 100 petals! And if you want your pond to smell nice and fragrant, then we’d recommend 'Odorata Sulphurea'.
Water lily planting schemes
Water lilies are at their most impactful when given a lush foliage foil against which their blooms can really shine. Water lettuce is the ideal plant for this purpose, its rich green rosettes floating serenely on the pond surface and providing a green canvas for the Nymphaea flowers. Consider planting water hawthorn to extend your pond’s floral display from solely summer to multiple seasons. Finally, the addition of some marginal pond grasses can help visually frame the pond and the water lilies it supports.
Caring for water lilies
For your water lilies to flourish, they need still water (so no streams, we’re afraid) and a fully sunny position (at least six hours of direct sunlight per day). Plant your water lilies in aquatic baskets to help keep them secure and the soil in place. Your water lilies will benefit from an annual feed every spring with slow-release aquatic fertiliser. If your pond is small and accessible, it’s also worth deadheading spent flowers to prevent them rotting in the water. Only do this if it’s safe to do so, however.
Water Lilies FAQs
How do you look after water lilies?
Water lilies need a spot in full sun (at least six hours of direct sunlight per day) in still water. Plant your water lily in aquatic compost in an aquatic basket. Place a layer of gravel or rocks on top of the compost to help weigh down and anchor the plant. Hungry plants, feed your water lilies with slow-release aquatic fertiliser tablets, pushed down into the soil, each spring. If safe and convenient, remove spent flowers as and when you see them.
What water lilies suit small ponds?
There are a few dwarf water lily cultivars suitable for growing in small ponds and even micro container ponds. ‘Pygmaea Helvola’ and ‘Pygmaea Alba’ are our two picks. Do water lilies come back each year?
Can water lilies grow in just water?
While they might look like they’re free-floating, water lilies need to have their roots anchored into a substrate like aquatic soil/compost in order for them to grow.
Are water lilies high-maintenance?
Not at all! Water lilies are nice and easy to look after once established. Just feed as outlined above and deadhead when appropriate.
Plants arrived in great condition and very promptly. Well established - much better than the ones I got at my local garden centre.
Monica Spence
| 24 May
Yet again this company delivered good healthy plants, exactly as shown in photos, well packaged and within delivery time quoted. Recommend!
Jacqueline Burgess
| 2 Jun
I continue to be so impressed with Roots. Their customer care, knowledge of their subject: from planting hedges to pruning roses and more, has been a great support.
Judy Lane
| 23 Oct
The plant arrived looking vigorously healthy, which brings a smile to your face, extremely well protected in its packaging.
Martyn Hill
| 5 Jul
As a non-gardener, I found my whole experience brilliant. Great information & advice available on the website, great range of products & prices are brilliant.
John-Paul
| 22 May
Wonderful plants and great customer service... really surprised to find that the plants are better than those you would get at your local garden centre.
Gavin Wilcock
| 8 Nov
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