The water gardens include a number of water lilies, but the attention-grabber is the giant water lily hybridized at Longwood. The pads are up to seven feet across and can support a lot of weight if well-distributed.

The parents of the hybrid are shown here (in the distance). One parent had higher sides on the pads, one almost flat.

Spines on the underside protect the leaves.

New leaves gradually unroll on the surface.