James Knock, who lives in the United Kingdom, has been a dedicated collector of Strawn waterlily cultivars for many years and is an expert in their identification and cultivation. Most cultivars were obtained directly from Strawn Water Gardens in the years 1994 through 1998.

In these galleries, James takes us through seasonal and age related changes in coloration of many Strawn cultivars. High summer in England, sometimes only two to three weeks long, provides the most dramatic colors of all, often not seen in other climates. None of the images have been color enhanced or color adjusted.  

I first came across this lily when a friend asked if would I like a 'Little Sue'. Unfortunately I took this to mean would I like a little 'Sioux' and declined the offer. It was some months later that I discovered my mistake. 'Little Sue' is an exceptional, truly miniature water lily.

Just what is a miniature lily anyway? To my mind it is anything which is small and compact enough to grow and flower well in the confines of a small tub. However, this does not include larger varieties which can adapt to these conditions. Most lilies with leaves under 10cm (4") diameter belong here.

Flowers of young plants are cup shaped, but as these plants mature they become more and more stellate. During their three days of opening the flowers go through quite a colour transformation. On the first day they are a soft yellowish pink, but then on days two and three they gradually darken to more of a reddish orange.

The most remarkable thing about 'Little Sue' is the size of its blooms. This may be a miniature lily but its flowers are far from miniature! I have often witnessed flowers as large as or even slightly larger than the leaves. With leaves less than 10cm (4") across this is quite something, especially if you compare it to the more traditional varieties. These leaves too have characteristics worthy of note. Apart from being attractively flecked, they are virtually bullet proof. No other miniature I know has leaves this thick and sturdy.

Because of its size it does best in shallow water from 15cm (6") to 30cm (12") deep. Great for tubs, small ponds, or fantastic planted on mass in larger shallow pools. A free flowering plant with a long bloom season.