An Old Spigot and SIX Water Lily Blooms!

It's a water lily palooza out there in the garden today!  Oh my, so much lily goodness going on a girl can hardly stand it!

Five hardy 'Colorado' water lily blooms and one bloom on the tropical Madame Ganna Walska beckon to us across the patio.  Come. Look. Linger. Bring the camera...

Read about the fascinating Madame Walska here and here to learn more about her gardens, Ganna Walska Lotusland.

The lovely, dainty Madame Ganna Walska

If you've ever given any consideration to adding a stock tank pond to your landscape, I would encourage you to do it.  Don't worry that it won't work out, it will.  With a little effort, the right plant choices, some sun and some fertilizer, you'll have a beautiful, low maintenance water garden.

We bought a 4' x 2' stock tank from a farmer's supply store, used sand to level the surface, then simply added water and a solution to remove chemicals and metals from the water (for the health of the fish).  Visit a reputable nursery for water plants, the solution to detoxify the water, fertilizer pellets and fish, (if you're adding them).  I went to Hill Country Water Gardens in Cedar Park, explained what I was trying to accomplish and they helped me out with plant and fish selections.  I am using mosquito fish and a couple of goldfish to keep the mosquito larvae in check.  Their website has a lot of good information about keeping your pond healthy too.

Oh, yes.  I almost forgot.  The spigot.  My husband and I discovered this old spigot in the garage of his parents a couple of weeks ago.  It belonged to my husband's grandfather and when I saw it, I knew I had just the place for it. 

The sound of gurgling water is appealing to me and it's especially welcome in the summer when Texas white noise (air conditioners)  is so prevalent and drowning out the softer sounds of the garden.

To make the fountain, we used two pieces of galvanized pipe and a galvanized elbow (to make the turn), the spigot and a small pump (you'll also need a fitting to attach the pump to the galvanized pipe) to recirculate the water.  I  absolutely love the whimsical addition to the stock tank and it means even more knowing we re-purposed a found family object into a little garden treasure.

Really.  You won't regret it for a minute!