Thursday, June 7, 2012

Water Hyacinths

Water Hyacinth and Rubber Duckies

I have been purchasing a couple water hyacinths from the nursery each spring since we put in the pond and pond garden. One year I managed to winter them over in the basement in a kiddie pool, but it didn't seem worth the effort. Now I just cough up the $6 each, which is a little ironic, considering the fact that in the South they are considered a noxious weed. By the end of the summer I've usually had to remove about a wheelbarrowful (??) of water hyacinths, for they do quickly take over the whole pond.

This year, however, is the very first blossom I've had on my water hyacinths. I was in the kitchen and looked out the windows toward the pond and was surprised to see what appeared to be a blossom. I went outdoors to get a closer look and took this photo with Kevin's crummy work camera. :-) No wonder it's called a hyacinth - it looks like a hyacinth except more translucent and delicate.

The water hyacinths congregate with the rubber duckies below the waterfall from the pond stream. The hyacinth blossom only lasted a couple days, but what beauty we were allowed to see during that short life!

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20 comments:

  1. I think they're pretty. We had a pond in England and I loved the Iris that grew in the water. I'd never seen that before. We'd love to have a pond here but it would probably become a gathering spot for all our many woodland creatures. We don't want to encourage that : )

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  2. you are so right, here they actually pay people to kill these things and remove them from the ponds. there is a pond at our Civic Center and they fight these things all the time. one house around the corner sprays something on them, they choke the whole pond. that said they are beautiful to me and this photo I love the lacy look of the water.

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  3. Very pretty indeed, but yes, one of the scourges of the south. Like Kudzu.

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  4. Oh, how pretty! We have a pond on our property but my husband wouldn't be happy if I introduced something that ended taking it over and requiring removal. Ha! Maybe we need a small, decorative pond near the house.

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  5. We had a small pond several years ago and loved looking at the floating hyacinths. The gold fish loved to hide beneath them. We would often collect extras and give to someone with a pond like the neighbor across the street. The little blossom is very pretty. ------------ Shannon

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  6. Your hyacinth is very pretty and I agree with another comment the water looks lacey-beautiful!

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  7. A great picture, and what a delicate flower. Wish something like that would grow here. Have a good day.

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  8. What a wonderful picture of a gorgeous flower! It is funny, growing up in Utah, my mom tried to grow hibiscus about a million times and we be so sad when her plants died. Nowm living in the south I take a huge weed whacker to the hibiscus outside my house all the time.

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  9. I've never heard of a water Hyacinth either. Very pretty.

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  10. I love water hyacinths! We used to put them in a kiddie pool when we had a bigger backyard - too much fun ... :)

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  11. Such a pretty water hyacinth! That photo turn out stunning! I am thinking about trying to put a small pond in the back yard but just haven't done it.

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  12. What a beautiful, delicate flower! The leaves are such a contrast to the flower. Lovely photo!

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  13. Beautiful! Love the pretty color! Hope you're having a nice day!

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  14. They're beautiful, not sure if I've seen them before. Very interesting. Looks very pretty.
    Hope you're having a great day!
    Late evening here.

    Eva

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  15. Those are so beautiful..can't believe they don't like them down south!

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  16. That was beautiful Judy - would love to see a bigger picture of the whole area. Love, sandie

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  17. Do you also have water lilies in you pond?

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  18. Lovely! Never heard of them before. =)

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  19. Sooo beautiful, Judy! For a crummy work camera, you certainly got a great shot. I would frame that if I were you. Love it.

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