I wish it would rain, we need it.  This is the Rain Lily that finally decided to start showing off its stuff.  They say they bloom alot after a rain but seeing rain isn't in the forecast for awhile I can't say if it will bloom more then or not.

These Rain Lilies are such a brilliant white, almost translucent.  They make a nice plant for the edge of your pond or in a bog area.  I have mine placed near the waterfall close to the edge in a shallow area.  Again this is one plant that doesn't want much water, just keep the roots wet.  Its hardy to Zone 7.  They prefer full sun but I have mine in more shade and it seems to being doing great.  It probably gets about 2 hours of the morning sun.

Remember the large lotus bud well it finally revealed itself today.....its a Red Scarf. 

So as I'm enjoying the lotus from my kitchen window I managed to get my tomato juice and salsa canned.  At least I'm finished until the next pickin....

Enjoy your pond....season almost over.

Three buds and anxiously awaiting the flowers....I keep thinking tomorrow the largest one will burst open only to find...

a larger bud.  I'm not certain if this is the Perry Slocum or it could possibly be the Red Scarf.  The Perry Slocum is one of my favorite lotus.  I think its because of the changes it goes thru.  It opens a pink and by the third day changes completely to a creamy yellow.   I move things around in the ponds so often I sometimes forget where I put what.  So a surprise is in store....maybe tomorrow.... meanwhile I'm back at canning those tomatoes.  Tomato juice and salsa today.  I also have a batch of green beans to can.

There are iris of almost any color one would want.....of course I want to plant them all around the pond.  Although they only bloom once during the season I anxiously await their blooms.  The Colorific is exactly like its name...blending of colors and quite unique.  This plant only had about three flowers on it this year since it was just planted but next year will have more. 

Then there is the Clyde Redmond which blooms a little later in the season. Its nice to have different iris blooming at different times of the season. The Wedgwood blue color of this iris adds alot to the pond.

Other than dividing the iris in the early spring they require little care and the rewards of color in your pond are worth it.

My sister and I have played around with miniature gardens for quite a few years now. We both started out with a miniature trough garden, placed by our ponds with a garden fairy or two. Each year we would purchase more minature trees, plants and fairies. The miniature gardens got larger, adding houses, pathways and of course more fairies. This year we have both taken the Miniature Gardening to a whole new level. We have added water features to our Miniature Gardens!   One is a miniature pond surrounded by fairy benches with a dry creek bed and the other is a waterfall cascading down a slight slope into a  pond with even miniature water lettuce floating on top.  I can't believe how cute they are! 

This time of year we all are enjoying our gardens.  Whether it be a pond, flower bed, vegetable garden or just general landscaping its a good feeling to sit back and reap the rewards of our efforts.

I spent hours weeding our vegetable garden yesterday as I had neglected it for a couple weeks.   I can't understand why the weeds seem to grow overnight.  Other than throwing them in the compost what other need do we have for them? 

But I did pick a nice batch of tomatoes.  Now its time to start working putting them away for the winter.  I enjoy canning almost as much as I enjoy my pond.  And there are so many ways to can tomatoes that can be enjoyed all winter long, that is if you don't eat most of them while your picking.....

Then as I was wondering about in the garden I got caught up in the wonders of nature.  I like nothing better than watching the dragonflies, butterflies and yes the bees frolic around the garden.  Its my favorite time of the year.  I tried to get a picture of a hummingbird but they are so quick he didn't give me time to click....

We have alot of plants on sale now so check them out at our store.  You still have time to get them planted and established before the cold weather hits us.  We're all enjoying our ponds now and the hard labor we've all put into it this spring.  We get alot of our customers pictures of their ponds in full bloom which we enjoy.  This picture is of a customer's pond in California.  We keep trying different night blooming lilies to get them to winter over for her but haven't been real successful.  It just gets alittle too cold over the winter for it to survive so this year she's going to try a pond heater and see if it winters over for her that way.  All the other plants are doing great!  Which is always good to hear.

We still have a nice supply of lotus tubers available. Many have multiple growing tips with leaves sprouting. There is still time yet this season to get a lotus started and growing in your pond. Lotus are magnificent additions to your water garden and at the current sale prices, now is the time to add one or several to your pond.

Lotus are available here for a lowest price offered.

Aquatic pond plants need to be fertilized monthly to flourish and bloom profusely. At Dragonfly Aquatics we recommend Highland Rim Aquatic Plant Fertilizer tablets. Specially formulated for blooming aquatic plants, with a 10-26-10 nutrient ratio.Highland Rim Fertilizer tablets give your waterlilies, lotuses and blooming marginals plenty of phosphorus to produce the most spectacular blossoms possible. The large 10-gram tablets are safe and non-toxic. They will not promote algae blooms in ponds and they will not harm fish or other aquatic life. Highland Rim Aquatic Plant Fertilizer is available in packs of 12, 36, 80 or 300 tablets. Be sure to order fertilizer tablets with your next plant order.

This versatile little plant is one of our new favorites.    Lemon Bacopa is a great bog plant for trailing over edges, cascading down a waterfall, bogs or submerged.  It has succulent leaves of lemon when crushed and is an edible herb used for seasoning. Tiny five pedal blue flowers will bloom all summer long.  Needs to be planted in a medium container in moist soil or just by keeping its tiny roots wet.  It can  easily be cultivated by cuttings from the stems. Although it is only hardy in zones 9-11 it can easily be wintered over by taking a cutting and keeping it inside in a small container with alittle water.  It will continue to grow more tiny little roots and you can replant it in your pond in the spring.

As the weather warms up and we begin to assess what plants we want to add to our ponds this spring, make sure you check out your hardy water lilies to see if they are in need of re-potting. Adding Highland Rim Fertilizer tablets at this time is also a must do. Water lilies need to be fertilized every 4-6 weeks to ensure plenty of flowers this summer.

Dividing the water lilies and re-potting them in early spring will ensure a better performing water lily this summer. Several lilies in the same pot compete for available nutrients resulting in fewer flowers this summer.

Water lilies need to be planted in at least a 1 gallon planting container for best performance. The medium to large varieties should be potted in a 2 to 5 gallon planting container to reach maximum flowering and growing potential. Don't be fooled by purchasing a potted lily in a 4 inch pot and expect it to flourish in your pond. You will end up paying more for the lily, and will still need to purchase a larger container to re-pot the lily in.