Filed under: Gardening, Flowers, Fun Stuff
Paul Grover, Rex USA
Big news for this tiny plant -- a London horticulturalist saves the centimeter-long flower.
A person's a person, no matter how small -- and the same goes for lilies. After 25 years of botanists' attempts to get a seedling of the Nymphaea thermarum (the official name for those freaking adorable water lilies) to flower, horticulturalist Carlos Magdalena unlocked the secret in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Paul Grover, Rex USA
It's especially welcome news considering that the last wild Nymphaea thermarum in Rwanda fell victim to dry conditions in 2008. Since then it hasn't reappeared until November of last year, when Magdalena's first flower bloomed. "Now we have over 30 healthy baby plants growing here at Kew and some are producing seeds," he announced. And the flowers made their public debut on May 22, where water lily enthusiasts gathered at Kew to get a peek.
Inspired to spend more time in your own garden? Here, some ideas to get you started:
Native Perennials for Shade
Growing Up: Vertical Gardens
How to Grow Chives
Easy Summer Bulbs: Lilies