GardenWeek Virtual Visits September 7, 1999

Editor's Journal

How do you grow topical Water Lilies in a country that supposedly has cool overcast summers? Easy, just do it under glass. And that is what they do at Kew. The wonderfully small Water Lily House just to the right (north) of the Palm House is home to a tremendous Victoria amazonica and a number of conventional sized tropical Water Lilies and other tropicals The pool in the hi-tech Princess of Wales Conservatory is home to an equally impressive Victoria cruziana and many other unusual plants in its ten zones each of which maintains a different climate. Continue.

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The Water Lily House is basically a structure dedicated to the display of the tremendous Victoria amazonica--the Victoria Water Lily--and other tropical Water Lilies of more modest sizes. Shown here with Nymphaea 'General Pershing.'
Victoria amazonica
Victoria amazonica
The leaves are so tremendous and rugged they remind me of Gunnera manicata--also from Brazil--apparently the land of giants.
A dazzling white cultivar sharing the pool.
Nymphaea lotus var dentata
Nymphaea zanzibarensis 'Wild Rose'
And a perfectly named cultivar also sharing the large round pool.
We have shown Canna 'Ra' before, but here it is paired with a flower of almost identical color--Allamanda cathartica--in a corner of the Water Lily House.The latter was named after Dr. Allamand of Leyden who sent seeds to Linnaeus.
Canna 'Ra' and Allamanda cathartica
Nymphaea 'Leopardess'
Classic blue flowers and amazing variegated foliage.
The flowers of a standard sized tropical Water Lily look pretty small near the edge of an enormous Victoria cruziana platter in the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
Victoria cruziana
Victoria cruziana
Victoria cruziana has smaller leaves with taller edges than Victoria amazonica--but they are quite similar. For the fascinating history of these plants and a hybrid of the two developed at Longwood Gardens, see this page at the Missouri Botanic Garden.
One of these begonias would be amazing--together they are truly amazing.
Amazing Begonias
A Trio of Orchids
Just a small sample of the extensive collection of unusual Orchids--Cattleya sp., Doritis pulcherrima (a Phaleanopsis relative) and Cattleya mossiaeo.
Although this has the familiar shape of Paphiopedilum flowers, I thought the unique coloration was rather noteworthy.
Paphiopedilum concolor
Vanda tricolor
Native to Java, this aptly named Orchid is one plant of a very variable species--one of my references lists over 20 varieties! Considering how incredible this one is, I would love to see them all.
RBG Kew--Victorian Bedding and Royal Grasses

RBG Kew--The Palm, Temperate, and Alpine Houses

The Royal Botanic Garden Kew Home Page

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