Nymphaea 'Aurora'

water lily

• Position: full sun
• Depth of water: 30-45cm (12-18in)
• Rate of growth: average
• Ultimate spread: 150cm (60in)
• Height above surface: 0-10cm (0-4in)
• Flowering period: June to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Small, orange-centred cup-shaped flowers which age from apricot-red through orange-red to burgundy-red. This dwarf lily is one of our recommended plants for small ponds. The attractive, maroon-splashed oval leaves and ephemeral flowers provide interest from early summer until the first frosts. The shade cast by the foliage also helps to check the spread of algae.
  
  
• Garden care: Plant firmly in a hessian-lined aquatic planting basket filled with aquatic compost. Apply a 2.5cm (1in) top-dressing of pea shingle or gravel to prevent the top layer of the planting medium from clouding the water. The crown of the plant should protrude slightly above the surface of the planting basket. Raise the basket on bricks when the plant is young, gradually lowering them as the plant matures, so that the leaves float on the surface.