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Italian Waterlilies Reviewed
A fascinating review of the waterlily nursery and collection of the late Manlio Calvisi at Friuli Venezia Giulia on the north-eastern edge of Italy can be found on the website of Victoria Adventure. Mauro Bergario, who has taken over the responsibility for the nursery, is determined to preserve Manlio Calvisi’s legacy. Amongst the many familiar and popular hardy and tropical waterlilies in the collection are also cultivars that are virtually unknown outside Italy. These include ‘Furio Ersetti’, ‘Dr. G. Cassini’ and ‘Mario Zanfardino’ click here.
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2005 Waterlily Competition Winners
At the recent symposium of the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society in Pennsylvania, USA, the winners of the 2005 competition for new waterlilies were announced. The Best New Waterlily of 2005 was judged to be 'Blue Aster'(left) bred by Charles Winch from Australia. This also won the tropical category. The winner of the hardy hybrid category was Andreas Protopapas from Cyprus with a creamy-white waterlily called 'Maria'.
For further information about the entries and the winners click here.
Photo: Noelene Pullen
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Centenary of the Waterlilies
The most famous publication ever written about waterlilies, and still the standard botanical reference for most botanists and gardeners, is Henry Conard's The Waterlilies. This was published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington in 1905. The original publication is virtually unobtainable, but there has been a reprint of this monumental work in both cloth bound and soft cover editions. These are available directly from the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society click here.
Apart from being a serious botanical treatise, the book contains a number of fine coloured plates. These can be seen in The European Water Gardener Art Gallery click here.
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Plant of the Month - Giant Himalayan Cowslip
(Primula florindae)
This is a tall-growing, frost-hardy, bog garden Primula, 60-90cm high, which flowers from mid-summer until early autumn. Large heads of pendent sulphur-yellow bell-like blossoms are produced above mid-green, almost oval, toothed and rather coarse long-stalked leaves, which have a strong musky aroma. The flower heads are densely coated in an attractive yellowish meal. Propagation is usually from seed sown immediately it ripens, although it is also easily increased by division once flowering is over.
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KHV Vaccine is Pronounced Safe
Scientists from the Hadassah, Medical School of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, working with the government’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, have just published the results of their recent study into a KHV vaccine in the journal Vaccine. The principle behind the vaccine is that it is a weaker form of virus that stimulates the immune system of the fish to create anti-bodies to resist KHV infection, without actually giving it to the fish. It is known as an attenuated virus. Although carp are very sensitive to viruses and can acquire them by merely swimming in the water where they are present, infection is dependent upon temperature more
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A World First With EasyClear
Hozelock Cyprio’s new EasyClear is said to be a one-step total solution for small garden ponds. It is a combination of fountain, pump, pond filter and UV clarifier which ensures clear water in ponds of up to 2000 litres and creates a decorative fountain at the same time.
The pump can create a fountain up to 0.6m high and in three different spray patterns. With filtration, a UV lamp eliminates green water-discolouring algae, foam takes out suspended particles in the water, while waste is broken down by bacteria that becomes established on plastic biomedia accommodated in the base of the unit. An anti-clog strainer cage ensures that maintenance is minimal, and the foam filter can be easily accessed through a removable lid. click here
Photo: Hozelock
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Floating Islands
There has been a trend recently to the use of floating islands in water features. Small islands that can accommodate non-aquatic plants, especially brightly coloured annuals like Busy Lizzies or Impatiens. Petunias of compact strains and cultivars are also excellent
more
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Controversy Surrounds New Slocum Book
Controversy is surrounding a new publication written by the famous American hybridiser of waterlilies and lotus, the late Perry D. Slocum. A fully updated work based upon that originally published in 1996 by Timber Press and written by Perry Slocum and Peter Robinson. The book has stirred up considerable comment from many in the scientific community, and also amongst members of the International Waterlily Society, particularly with regard to statements made around the parentage of some of his hybrids. A number of modern day hybridisers in the International Waterlily Society find the late Perry Slocum’s statements concerning his hybrids flawed, and have spoken out quite strongly click here.
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Making an Ali Baba Fountain
Self-contained fountains are very popular and versatile.To provide an exotic Eastern effect in a corner of the garden an Ali Baba fountain is perfect. This is one of a growing number of Step-by-Step practical water gardening sequence to be found on the Water Gardener websites click here.
Photo: Interpet
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Edging a Pond with Pavers - Step-by-Step
Providing an edging using pavers is amongst the simplest and tidiest ways of finishing off a formal liner pond. This is one of a growing number of Step-by-Step practical water gardening sequences to be found on the Water Gardener websites click here.
Photo: Interpet
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Society Spotlight - The St. Louis Water Gardening Society
The Society was established in 1990 to provide a focal point for water gardeners in the area. It is well-known locally for its civic project, the planting and care of the Jewel Box waterlily ponds in Forest Park. To learn more about this and the Society’s other activities visit
click here.
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Website of the Month
The website this month is of the Goldfish Paradise Society, a global community of goldfish enthusiasts that share a common affection for goldfish and a desire to share their knowledge to further goldfish health and well-being, both in the garden pond and the aquarium. The aim of this website is to provide goldfish enthusiasts with a wealth of information, advice, and experience, and to become an important on-line resource for the goldfish enthusiast click here.
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Trivia Spot - Goldfish Racing
A bar in Utah in the United States is under extreme pressure to stop the practice of goldfish racing. Goldfish are raced down a broad-based trough in the bar, which is filled with water. At the end of the race the bar patrons take their goldfish home. It seems that unless there is legislation to prevent the practice, that it is likely to continue, not only in Utah, but across North America as it has now become part of the packages of several companies that provide corporate entertainment.
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Games -Tobby Kingyo
This is a strange Japanese fishing game is based upon the Japanese sport of Goldfish Scooping, where contestants scoop as many goldfish as possible out of a tank and into a bowl with a rice paper scoop in an allocated time. With the free on-line game, scoops are used to catch both fish and turtles, and these are placed in a bowl. However the scoop wears out quickly and needs replacing regularly. The Editor had great fun trying to catch the fish, but was not sure whether he had won as the result was in Japanese!
To try your luck click here.
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Competition
Come up with a clever caption for the photo on the left and you could be this month's winner.
The prize is a copy of the Interpet Container Water Gardens handbook by Philip Swindells. Good luck!
Send your entry to editor@pondmessenger.com
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Competition Result
The Results of last Month's Competition:
"I bet I can spray higher up the wall than you!"
The winner is:
Albert Ligne,
Eugene,
Oregon,
USA
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