Description of Nymphaea 'Paul Hariot'

Nymphaea 'Paul Hariot' is a hardy water lily that grows from a thick rhizome and spreads a tidy raft of pads. You might see it listed as Paul Harriot in some catalogues, but sellers usually mean the same plant. It suits still water and a sunny position, where it settles in and flowers through summer and often well into early autumn. The roots stay in the basket, while the leaves and blooms float and shade the water.

Appearance

New flowers open a soft apricot to creamy yellow, then deepen as they age, moving through peach into orange and pinkish red. That colour shift makes each week look slightly different. Blooms usually sit on the surface and reach roughly 10–12cm across, depending on warmth and feeding. Pads are rounded and mid to dark green, often with maroon spotting, especially on younger leaves. In a typical garden pond, the plant keeps a medium spread, commonly around 70–90cm once established.

Care Guide

Give Nymphaea 'Paul Hariot' full sun for the best flowering. Aim for six hours of direct light in summer. Plant it in a wide aquatic basket using heavy aquatic compost, then top with washed gravel so fish cannot lift soil. Feed during the growing season with aquatic fertiliser tablets pushed into the compost near the rhizome. Start the pot shallower in spring so new leaves reach the surface quickly, then lower it to its working depth. A practical final depth sits around 30–80cm from the top of the pot to the water surface. Remove old, yellowing leaves as they appear so the plant puts energy into fresh growth and flowers.

Suitability for Garden Ponds

Nymphaea 'Paul Hariot' works well in medium ponds where you want colour that changes without needing a huge plant. Its pad cover gives useful shade for fish and helps calm the look of the water by cutting glare. It also suits wildlife ponds because it offers cover and resting spots for insects. In very small ponds, the plant can still work, but you need to leave it a clear circle of water and avoid mixing it with another medium or large lily.

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