Water Lilies

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SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS SATURDAY AUGUST 5, 2006 SECTION E

O P E R A T O R RREINHARD

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Coming Sunday

Spaces

Chapter 6 of the Express-News’ staff-written ‘Cora’s Heart’

A New Braunfels couple collect favorite ideas and build their castle PAGE 10E

Mr. Snippy’s really bad day Oh, come on! I was already tired, cranky and, as those who were with me moments before might attest, snippy. Call it Murphy’s Law, karma or dismiss it as just having a bad day, but sometimes it feels as if every molecule in the universe is out to get you. Or at least in the mood to have a solid laugh at your expense. Not a giggle, chortle or a snicker. A fullout, hard-to-catch-your-breath, belly laugh. Early last Saturday morning my wife, Diane, was taking me to pick up our new car. She had an appointment on the other side of town, so she would drop me off, I would close the deal and then drive the car home. It was all so simple, really. Attitude can complicate the simplest task, and even I will admit my attitude was bad. It wasn’t one thing. It was just a bunch of straws and a camel with a bad lower lumbar. I’ll blame lack of sleep because that is kinder than blaming whatever character flaw it is that makes one snippy. When one is predisposed to being crabby, fatigue is simply an accelerant poured on the illtempered fire. We were running late and, as we pulled onto a side street, I got out of the car and began to walk into the dealership. Given my state of mind I didn’t walk as much as I stomped. Diane slowly pulled away. I was already starting to feel guilty about my behavior. It wasn’t a pleasant drive or a pleasant morning for that matter. I was grunting out monosyllabic answers to harmless conversation starters. She tried to cool my mood but, after two decades of me, knew it was better to cut her losses. I was almost to the door of the dealership when I noticed it. My breast pocket seemed heavy. A quick glance told me I had twice as many cell phones in my pocket as usual. I had Diane’s. Honestly, my first instinct was to call her on her phone and tell her I had her cell. Fortunately, I realized the stupidity of that idea almost immediately. Had I actually dialed my phone only to have her phone ring in my pocket I would have felt like the dumbest human on the planet. I’m familiar with that feeling. It has happened before. I took off running. I could see her brake lights. She was heading down a

MICHAEL O’ROURKE

See O’ROURKE/11E

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TRACY HOBSON LEHMANN/STAFF

‘Attraction,’ a hardy day-blooming red lily, puts on a show in a pond at San Angelo’s Civic League Park. It’s part of horticulturist Ken Landon’s International Waterlily Collection. INSET BELOW: A damselfly rests on the petals of ‘Texas Dawn,’ a hardy yellow water lily that can produce as many as 120 blooms a year.

TRACY HOBSON LEHMANN/STAFF

Grower amasses world-class collection

Nectar pools in the golden center of a ‘Rhonda Kay’ star lily at the International Waterlily Collection.

BY TRACY HOBSON LEHMANN

seven years out of my life,” he says. Fellow lily expert PaEXPRESS-NEWS HOME & GARDEN EDITOR trick Nutt, retired from Longwood Gardens in AN ANGELO Pennsylvania, elabo— Giverny had rates on ‘Ineta Ruth,’ a Claude Monet. hybrid developed from a This West lily called ‘St. Louis Texas city has Gold.’ “He’s the only Ken Landon. man who’s been able to Monet created lasting get fertile seeds from ‘St. water lilies on canvas. Louis Gold,’ ” Nutt says Landon’s are born of TRACY HOBSON LEHMANN/STAFF of Landon. seed in concrete ponds ‘St. Louis Gold’ is an or in pools in his greenolder lily developed by Nutt’s mentor, George house, and he dedicates much of his work to Harry Pring of St. Louis. Pring, he says, intromaking the mystical aquatic plants last. duced more Nymphaea hybrids than anyone in “They’re my kids,” Landon says of the plants the world, “although Ken will probably rival in the International Waterlily Collection. And him in time.” what a colorful brood it is. “We’ve tried to preserve his hybrids, and bePink, yellow, purple and white flowers reflect tween the two of us we probably have the best in the pools at Civic League Park, colorful accollection of Pring’s hybrids in the world,” cents amid the varied green leaves. There are Nutt says. smooth leaves and ones with ruffled edges. Landon estimates he has created about 60 There are glossy green circles and ones speck“keeper” hybrids. “In horticultural work, you led with maroon. And there are the giants of keep maybe 5 percent of what you create in a the family, the platterlike Victorias that prolifetime.” duce leaves up to 8 feet across. Another star in Landon’s family tree is NymLandon, 58, is no braggart. But like any phaea violacea. “I was told I couldn’t grow proud parent, he likes to boast about his kids. them in North America,” Landon says, pointTake ‘Ineta Ruth,’ named for his mother and

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the only yellow star lily produced. “That took

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TEXAS SUPERSTAR LILIES ‘Texas Dawn,’ a yellow water lily developed by Ken Landon, was the leading bloomer among lilies tested for the Texas SuperStar program, according to Jerry Parsons of Texas Cooperative Extension. It and seven other water lilies earn SuperStar status this month for their adaptability to growing conditions throughout the state. The selections include: ■ ‘Texas Dawn,’ hardy yellow ■ ‘Colorado,’ hardy salmon ■ ‘Laydekeri Fulgens,’ hardy red ■ ‘Perry’s Double White,’ hardy white ■ ‘Clyde Ikins,’ hardy apricot ■ ‘Panama Pacific,’ tropical purple ■ ‘Star of Siam,’ tropical blue ■ ‘Red Flare,’ tropical night bloomer

Keyword: Gardening Learn more about water lilies.

PETER A. HOGG/MONROVIA

Split-leaf philodendron (Philodendron selloum) With frilly leaves that grow as big as 3 feet long, the split-leaf philodendron makes an impressive stand in the landscape. And it does so without causing a fuss. The cascade of dark, glossy leaves on the mounding plant make it a nice addition to the landscape. The plant tolerates even deep shade and gives a tropical accent but tolerates our Zone 8b winters if planted in a protected area. Use as a foundation planting, near a pool or in large containers. ■ Light: Shade to part sun. ■ Size: 10 feet tall; 15 feet wide. ■ Water: Low. ■ Bloom: Creamy white spathe in summer. Not a significant bloom. ■ Cultivation: Water regularly to establish.

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PATRICK DOVE/SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS PATRICK DOVE/SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Landon wades through the center pool at the International Waterlily Collection to collect plants to send to gardens near Houston. Landon develops and collects the plants.

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The ‘Larissa Racine’ water lily is a new creation by San Angelo’s Ken Landon. The flower has not yet reached the market.

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