May 08, 2025
Provided Image/Hank Davis for Longwood Gardens
The upgraded Waterlily Court at Longwood Gardens includes nearly 100 species of hardy and tropical water lilies and lotuses. It reopens Friday after being closed three years for renovations.
Gigantic lily pads, neon florals and other aquatic plants are again on display at Longwood Gardens.
The Waterlily Court exhibit reopens Friday following three years of renovations. Its six pools, located outside the new West Conservatory, include nearly 100 varieties of tropical and hardy waterlilies, lotus plants and water platters – lily pads that can stretch as wide as 6 feet. The water garden will be in peak bloom through early October.
Upgrades include new granite tiles and tiered steps. New lighting illuminates portions of the plants that are below the water's surface, and an improved heating system better supports plant health. New plumbing provides better water quality and circulation.
The renovated Waterlily Court has several new plants, including a Peppermint Splash water lily with pink and white flowers and a Golden Gate water lily with peach-colored flowers and cup-shaped petals. There's also a water banana plant, a tropical specimen with tall, arrow-shaped leaves. Returning favorites include the Victoria Longwood Hybrid, a giant water lily; the Foxfire water lily, a day-flowering plant with large, variegated purple petals; and Nymphaea caerulea, a blue lotus that's native to Egypt.
The 'Golden Gate' waterlily is among the new additions to the Waterlily Court at Longwood Gardens.
The renovation is part of Longwood Reimagined, a $250 million project that included the new conservatory, upgraded bonsai display, and improved restaurant and events spaces. The completion of the water lily garden marks the end of the 10-year project.
"The Waterlily Court is one of Longwood's most beloved spaces, cherished for its remarkable plant collection," Longwood President and CEO Paul Redman said in a statement. "Its return marks both a homecoming and a new chapter in our ongoing story of beauty, innovation, and global horticultural leadership."
The Foxfire waterlily, above, is among several new plants featured in Longwood Gardens' renovated Waterlily Court.
Waterlily Court opened in 1957. The collection was developed by the first director of Longwood, Russel Siebert, and his father-in-law, George Pring, who was a famous water lily breeder at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Many of the species acquired in the 1950s are still on display. In 1989, the water garden was redesigned by Peter Shepheard, a renowned landscape architect.
