2014 IWGS New Waterlily Competition Winners

Denver Botanic Gardens was once again the host of the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society’s New Waterlily Competition this year. This contest draws entries of new waterlily hybrids from skilled hybridizers around the world. This year there were 21 entries in three categories - hardy waterlilies, intersubgeneric (hardy x tropical crosses) and tropical waterlilies.

The entries were sent to the gardens in the spring and were grown in the Four Towers Pool this summer. Each entry received the same size growing container, soil, fertilizer and sun exposure. Senior Horticulturist Tamara Kilbane and her team of volunteers maintained the plants throughout the growing season. Photos were taken to show the size, growth habit and blooms of each entry. A panel of 16 judges from around the globe then used these photos to score each entry.

The official winners are as follows:

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'Milky Way' - Best New Waterlily Overall and First Place Tropical Waterlily - Hybridized by Buafah Garden, Thailand

'Morada Bay' - Second Place Tropical Waterlily - Hybridized by Florida Aquatic Nurseries, USA

'Siam Purple 2' - Second Best New waterlily and First Place Intersubgeneric Waterlily - Hybridized by Pairat Songpanich, Thailand

'Sangria' - Second Place Intersubgeneric Waterlily  - Florida Aquatic Nurseries, USA

'Lemon Meringue' - First Place Hardy Waterlily (and Third Place Overall) - Hybridized by Tony Moore, USA

'Siam Beauty' - Second Place Hardy Waterlily - Hybridized by Pairat Songpanich, Thailand

In addition to the official judging, visitors to the gardens were given the opportunity to choose their own favorite waterlilies in each category. Over 700 people voted throughout the summer months, and the winners of the “People’s Choice Awards” are listed below.

Hardy, First Place - 'Siam Beauty', hybridized by Pairat Songpanich (Thailand); Second Place - 'White Hot', hybridized by Mike Giles (USA)

Intersubgeneric, First Place (tied) - Siam Purple 2, hybridized by Pairat Songpanich (Thailand) First Place (tied) - 'Sangria', hybridized by Florida Aquatic Nurseries (USA) Second Place - Unnamed, hybridized by Florida Aquatic Nurseries (USA)

 

Tropical, First Place - 'Good Morning', hybridized by Ittipol Takul (Thailand) Second Place - 'Purple Joy', hybridized by Buafah Garden (Thailand)