The International Waterlily Collection has been designated by the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society
as a premiere collection of lilies in existence. This collection is the life work of one man with the mind of a scientist, the heart of a poet and the soul that embodies preserving waterlily heritage for the generations to come. His name is Ken Landon.
Ken is only able to display about 1/2 of 1% of the collection each year so there is always something new and wondrous to see.
Where does it exist?
The collection is displayed at Civic League Park in San Angelo, Texas in the United States of America. Directions to the Collection.
What will I see?
You'll see old favorites, new hybrids, lilies that may not exist anywhere else in the world, huge Victorias, the spectacular N. Blue Cloud and the first glimpse at new species material collected in the wild.
World Wide Exclusive
World's First Purple Hardy
Nymphaea 'Purple Satin'
Breaking News ... N. 'Purple Satin' is beginning to branch
like a hardy waterlily.
Mike Giles is a great friend to the collection. Mike Giles did not break through the intersubgeneric (ISG) hybrid barrier between hardies and tropicals. He crashed through it to create the world's First Purple Hardy. Click on the picture to see more.
Well they have taken down all directional signage in San Angelo, IWC, Tourist Center etc. They are sending info on new regulations and red tape that definitely muddy the matter. I do not know where we stand at the present but State Representative Drew Darby's office is still working on it.
IWGS Symposium Sponsors
Click on the rotating banners to go to the sponsors website.
Rolf Nelson invites all to
discuss the Texas White List at
the IWGS September
Symposium.
The Texas White List has passed legislation. Jan 1, 2011 most all aquatic plants will be banned in Texas unless species or varieties can now be added to the new “White List”. Unless marked on approved white list waterlilies and other aquatics will be banned from even owning within state lines. I stopped by Nelson’s Water Gardens in mid June and taped this short overview with Rolf for the IWGS symposium
Special Thanks to Rolf Nelson & Nelson’s Water Gardens for efforts far beyond the video.
Special thanks also go out to Zac DeGarmeaux for creating, editing and posting this video to educate so many people.
Video hits the IWC site.
Thanks to a collaberation with Zac DeGarmeaux of Pond Megastore we are presenting high definition videos here on the site. After a certain time period, we will move the videos of individual plants to their own page and make more room here on the front page for other content.
At this time there are the videos below and on their own pages of Foxfire, Rhapsody in Blue, Bull's Eye, Ultra Violet, a new blue edge-toned red star lily, a fireworks video and planting videos on the Water Gardening Info & Tips page for the average pond owner. Pond Megastore is a trusted source for water garden items and plants. We are also working towards a deal that would allow them to sell Ken Landon's 7803 fertilizer sometime in the near future. At this time there are very few outlets to get the "best" waterlily fertilizer on the market and we hope to help rectify that by spring of 2011.
LilyFest 2010
and IWGS Waterlily Festival
The above image links to a 4.5 Mb pdf brochure and registration form for the symposium.
Join us in San Angelo, Texas on September 16th - 19th of 2010 for Lily Fest and the IWGS Waterlily Festival. This is the annual celebration of all things grown in this incredible collection. This will be the event of the century. Over 200 species and cultivars will be on display for the largest viewing of its kind. It will be an event the likes of which that has never been seen anywhere. We will have plants that you cannot see anywhere else. Please join us, make some friends, see an incredible collection and have some great Texas cooking and hospitality in the Lone Star State. Make your vacation plans now.
Nymphaea 'Wanvisa' The newest star plant of the collection
Patrick Nutt Video Part I from July 2010.
Patrick Nutt Video Part II from July 2010.
Here is a short video showing Nymphaea 'Debbie Ann' in a starring close up role at the IWC. Turn up volume for commentary by Tim.
Here is Zac's comments..."This is one of Tim Davis's first hybrids, it is a seedling cross by micrantha. It is a viviparous waterlily multiplying by leaf growth into new plants. This will be on display at the International Waterlily Collection in 2010. I should have removed some old growth before the video but you can see its a pretty lavendar tropical waterlily. Named for Tim's wife Debbie. Tim was wise naming a waterlily after her because he can now get away with more time with the waterlilies and spending time at the International Waterlily Collection with his bud Ken Landon."
Here is a video showing the waterlily that was created as a dedication to the author and humorist, Jill Conner Browne famous for her Sweet Potato Queen series of books.
It is called Nymphaea 'Queen Jill'
Here is a video showing Nymphaea 'Eve's Solitaire' as filmed at Longwood Botanical Gardens by Zac DeGarmeaux in July 2010.
Here is a short video showing Nymphaea 'Charlie's Pride' in a starring close up role. Here is some text by Zac of Pond Megastore..."Much like friend Ken Landon in Texas, Charles Winch quietly practiced his passion hybridizing eye-catching waterlilies without much commercialization of his plants. He aimed to improve the variety of colors in both flowers and leaves of day blooming tropical waterlilies, and to increase the number of petals per flower. Charlie's Pride is a great red tropical we enjoy growing every year. Often multiple blooms each day and it loves Ken landon Fertilizer in modest doses."
Video of a new star lily. It is a dark pink/ red but it has blue toned edges on the petals. It is one of those plants you have to see to really appreciate.
It is much like a green smoke type in which the camera cannot capture what the human eye can perceive. Here is a down the throat shot of this new waterlily.
join the IWGS to get the best deal and an opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.
You must be a member of the IWGS to get this package deal.
Here is video taken of Ken's July 3rd fireworks show. This gives you an idea of what you will see when you come to the IWGS Symposium in San Angelo in September. Turn up the volume for music and fireworks sounds.
Nymphaea 'Foxfire' at the IWC
N. 'Foxfire' can grow to be a very large waterlily. Its ampla heritage means that after 3-4 months in a large growing container with good fertilizer like Landon's 7803, pads can be 24-30 inches across and flowers 8-14" across. It has such large blooms it often cannot close at night making it seem like a day & night bloomer. The more mature the plant the more petaloids in the center. A small plant may have 50-100 petaloids and a mature plant may have 200-300 petaloids. Trim the pads to keep the plant more compact or a single large heavily fertilized plant can grow to reach 10-15' across.
Here is a short video showing Nymphaea 'Ultra Violet' in a starring close up role at the IWC.
No sound or comments.
Here is a short video showing Nymphaea 'Bull's Eye' in a starring close up role at the IWC. Turn up volume for commentary by Tim.
Here is a short video showing Nymphaea 'Rhapsody in Blue' in a starring close up role at the IWC with Ken Landon describing the wonderful new star lily. Turn up the volume to hear Ken.
Here is a short video showing Tim, Zac and Ken talking about aussies. Turn up the volume to hear the conversation. Remember we are supposed to be crazy, it's okay. We still have to work on Ken's on camera persona.
Here is a juvenile plant with multiple buds from Zac's location.
Have you ever wondered how Ken came to be known as the "Indiana Jones" of the aquatic world? Did you know he was personally responsible for researching and re-discovering a species declared extinct by all of the other experts? Perhaps this article should be renamed "Rediscovery of an extict species". This is a reprint from a 1985 article that Ken wrote for the IWGS at that time the IWLS. Go read it for an in depth view of a passionate explorer doing a job that no one else could.
This is a waterlily that was created by Ken to honor Jill Conner Browne. She is known as the Sweet Potato Queen. Follow this link to learn more about Nymphaea 'Queen Jill'.
10 Year Contract Approved Unanimously
The contract came before the San Angelo City Council on Tuesday November the 17th.
AN AGENDA OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Consideration of authorizing City Manager or his designee to execute an amended agreement version of the Aquatics Plants Specialist Agreement UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
(Presentation by Parks and Recreation Director Carl White)
It was unanimously approved as you can see in the above City Council Agenda. We would like to congratulate the Mayor Pro Tempore, Jon Mark Hogg, the San Angelo City Council, City Manager Harold Dominguez, Assistant City Manager Rick Weise, and Assistant City Manager Elizabeth Grindstaff for having the vision and foresight to ensure that the City of San Angelo Texas will continue to have the best aquatic display in the country.
This display is not possible anywhere else in the country for the simple fact that Ken Landon is a citizen of San Angelo. His world wide fame, his unequalled skill set, his network of peers that give him access to the best the world has to offer and his unwavering dedication to provide a display for the world and even more importantly, the City of San Angelo and the great State of Texas.
Now that the contract is behind him and he no longer has to be concerned with an ever changing political climate you will see some great changes in the near future. There is a plan in place so that the Collection will be self sufficient at the end of the 10 years to ensure it’s continued success. Future programs will be implemented and will follow on a yearly basis to highlight this body of work. Ken already has begun to move forward in a way that will give the collection something of value even in the winter off season. Ken is responsible for the building of the 5 pools around the main basin. He is also the one that got all of the walkways, ramps and fences costructed with the help of the San Angelo Council of Garden Clubs and federal grant money that was initiated in a major way because of Ken's personal reputation. The most ambitious plan at the moment is to get the final pool constructed in the future to finalize the formal layout as Ken originally designed it.
Join us on Facebook and join in the celebration of one man’s life’s work that has enriched a city. Tourism is a mainstay of San Angelo and the name Ken Landon is synonymous with the future success of this city. His continued work on this collection that he created for the entire world to view is what puts San Angelo on the map of likely places to visit in an otherwise unlikely part of the country.
November 11, 2009 Important Update
The main basin has been emptied of the waterlilies to do some work on a leak. There is no cause for alarm but it is a necessary maintenance issue to protect the future of the collection.
The International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society is going to be holding their 2010 Symposium in conjunction with Lily Fest 2010. This will bring internationally well known hybridists as well as waterlily lovers from around the globe to the event of the century. The goal is to present the largest collection of waterlilies ever shown in one display. Ken's international renown allows him to get waterlilies that no one else has access to. This display and these lilies are in San Angelo for one reason, Ken Landon. The IWC shows more rare material than any other display watergarden in the world. Brand new award winning material from renowned hybridizers is displayed only here and only because of the working relationship that Ken has built with others over more than 3 decades. Ken's work throughout the entire decade that he worked for the University of Texas allowed him to amass the largest single collection in existance.
The Elegant Lily Fund was created to help continue Ken's work. It recently received a substantial endowment. This fund was created to allow Ken to have the facilities, funds and materials necessary to continue to expand this display. As you can see in the above panorama, there is an issue with the symmetry of the park. Ken is not allowed to access this fund and the endowment it just received are not at his disposal. This money along with the other money that is still left in the fund should be used to build the final pool to complete the vision of a formal water garden display. The Elegant Lily fund is supposed to be used for the maintenance or construction of pools greenhouses and infrastructure. In the very near future, there will be a fund to perpetuate the waterlilies and botanical items and to continue the work of the International Waterlily Preservation Repository. The IWPR is in place to perpetuate the species material and old or rare hybrids. At this time if you wish to give to help perpetuate the collection, then you would give the money to the San Angelo Council of Garden Clubs which disperses funds to perpetuate the collection. You can send donations to the following address... San Angelo Council of Garden Clubs
Care of
Irene Meitzen
815 South Abe St.
San Angelo, TX. 76903
The event of the year was held Saturday, September the 12th from 9:00 a.m. until noon at the International Waterlily Collection at Civic League Park. There is a recounting of the days events along with 50 pictures. Many not seen before including on our Facebook portal.
Well if you have not been to the collection in the last year, you are missing out. The collection "Shines" at night as well. They added lights over the main basin to light up the Vics and some other night bloomers. This is a view most have not seen...click on the image to see a 1200 x 198 pixel resolution image.
Click on the image below to see a closer 1024 x 683 pixel resolution image.
We are on Facebook now. If you have ever been to visit and are a fan of The International Waterlily Collection, please join our group. We hope that in this way you can share your photos, videos and personal experiences. This is a way for you, the fans of Ken's life's work to interact with the collection. We might even contact some of you for permissions to use your materials on our site to help spread information to the world about this fabulous place. You must be a member of Facebook to join but it is free and a way to see people who share your interests.
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