Early birds caught a rare glimpse of night-blooming waterlilies in all their majesty at the 16th annual Waterlily Celebration at McKee Botanical Garden, which annually opens earlier than usual for the special viewing.
The garden’s well-maintained ponds and waterways are home to more than 80 day- and night-blooming varieties of waterlilies, one of the largest collections in the state, comprised of some 300 potted and 100 free-range varieties. Experts were on hand to answer questions about planting and growing these colorful aquatic species, and also gave hands-on potting demonstrations.
And, while there was no formal photography contest this year, there were plenty of people, cameras at hand, attempting to capture the beauty of these glorious tropical blooms for posterity.
Photos by Brenda Ahearn
