Ah, a pale Gloriosa bloom no less... Early in Spring, about mid April Nymphaea Gloriosa is tentatively thinking about assuming its full colours, vivid red... Nearly as vivid as Froebeli, another very heat tolerant red blooming waterlily As the occasional blast of heat alternates with cool 60's stuff, Gloriosa can be puttering along merrily through 3 or 4 days of 100°f (20°f hotter in the full glare of midday sun) While all thought of the tropical waterlilies is just a vague thought, the hardies are in bloom months ahead... Set on a clay pond, blooms in ones and two's are usual on an unfertilised position. So far, blooms in three's are coming through on a fertilised position, something to keep count of comparing the two positions. Though, the clay pond is now bone dry and droughted, what with climate change and all. Fortunately a hardy waterlily is a good choice where the water supply is unpredictable or erratic, they can take a hard drought and bounce back... Always a good choice is a well chosen hardy waterlily, very easy to find for $10 or so on Ebay from folk who know them and grow them. If you can't see something you fancy, you can always ask... many a collector who lists on ebay, can steer you toward umpteen other varieties when you enquire Regards, andy http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/ http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/adavisus/