Water lily growing hints

Gardeners who have a penchant for aquatic flora have been provided with a number of tips on how to ensure their water lilies get off to the best possible start.

It is noted that different varieties of the plants are best suited to different depths of water, as well as how vigorously they grow, making it important to ensure that an appropriate lily is chosen, the Daily Telegraph notes.

Flowers on lilies will only open in the sunshine so shady spots should be avoided, as too should bubbling streams and fountains since they also thrive in calm waters.

The resource recommends that the plants could be located in aquatic baskets in smaller ponds to control their speed of growth, while they can be allowed to "roam free" in larger bodies of water.

The BBC notes that the flowers of some types of lily – such as the Indiana – change colour as the bloom matures.