The weatherman was predicting a gorgeous day with low humidity and comfortable temperatures, so my wife and I decided it might a good day to visit Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. And it was! It is a very difficult place to take pictures because you feel like photographing every flower you see. And they are all so beautiful! There were Rose Mallows blooming all over in a variety of colors. Their blooming season is also at its height right now. I liked the way this one was lit.
If you like Sacred Lilies, you will go nuts in this place. There are ponds stretching out like Dutch tulip fields full of Lotus blooms. They are also at their peak and should last for another two or three weeks.
All the ponds have plantings of native bushes and flowers around their edges. Rose Mallow, Hibiscus, Button Bush and Purple Loosestrife such as pictured here are common plantings. Loosestrife is considered a weed, but it is a beautiful weed.
The centers of the Lotus start out in one of the most beautiful yellow colors I have ever seen. Eventually, the petals fade from reddish-pink to a light yellow-white and finally fall off. It leaves the center cup standing alone.
Here is one of the seed heads after the petals have fallen away. In time, the entire head dries out and turns brown. They kind of look like a salt or pepper shaker. I imagine they can be used for decorative purposes. I'm not sure if the seeds would produce more lotus plants or not. If you live locally, I encourage you to visit the park. It opens at dawn and is relatively easy to find with gps or a map.
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