Insight and inspiration from the Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Welcome, Water Lilies

Miami Beach Botanical Garden water garden in full bloom

Nymphaea 'Woods Blue Goddess' bloom near the Morris Lapidus fountain.

Anyone planning a visit to the Miami Beach Botanical Garden this month is in for a special surprise—a profusion of vibrant color and ethereal forms bursting from its iconic water garden. The extraordinary display of colorful water lilies that fill the picturesque water feature—a subject apropos to the premiere issue of Notes from the Garden, a new monthly newsletter from the Garden—also completes the vision of its creator, renowned Miami landscape architect Raymond Jungles.

“Raymond believes water is at the heart of every garden,” says the Garden’s new horticulture director, Kathy Cahill. Given this point of view, Jungles created the water garden as the striking centerpiece of his design for the Garden in 2011. It was precisely that notion that Cahill relied on as she worked to fill it with lilies.

Left: Nymphaea 'St. Louis Gold.' Right: In his design of the botanical garden, landscape architect Raymond Jungles created a central water garden and added a fountain and sculptural concrete benches.

The Garden’s koi collection presented something of a challenge to planting at the start. “The koi are beloved by our visitors—people photograph and feed them all day, but they often dig in water lily pots and eat the plants too—it’s a familiar story for many koi owners,” says Cahill. Her solution was to devise a rapprochement between the fish and the flowers. “We added a series of fences below the surface of the water to keep the fish on one side and the plants on another so both could co-exist,” she explains.

Next, Cahill planted three enormous Victoria cruziana lilies with rimmed pads that stretch out like giant saucers at the center. “Victoria lilies look unreal and never cease to amaze,” says Cahill. “Their sheer size defies belief and gravity. Victoria have several other unique attributes—one is that flower at night, first white, then shifting to pink.”

Top left: Pollinators have found their favorite flowers. Top right: Cahill's own cultivar Nymphaea 'Garfield Park.' Bottom: Victoria cruziana flowers open in the early evening.

A variety of additional lilies now bloom in full color all day. Among them are Nymphaea ‘Queen of Siam,’ ‘Wood’s Blue Goddess,’ and ‘Lindsey Woods’—with pink, blue, and purple flowers. “We also have my own water lily cultivar, Nymphaea ‘Garfield Park,’” notes Cahill. This lily features especially large lavender-pink, star-shaped blooms and slightly mottled pads.

Nestled amid the lush embrace of native aquatic trees, such as mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and pond apples (Annona glabra), the lovely water garden—glistening again with a bounty of kaleidoscopic facets befitting the crown jewel of the Garden—quietly beckons visitors to stop by, stay awhile, and behold its natural beauty. ■

Constant Gardener

Stroll through the Miami Beach Botanical Garden on any given day and you’re likely to find its new horticulture director, Kathy Cahill, working amid its lush trees, plants, and water garden. Cahill was tapped for the job thanks in no small part to her expertise in water gardens. “I knew I wanted to hire a skilled and seasoned pro,” says the Garden’s CEO, Amy Rosenberg. “When I met Kathy, I immediately knew I was talking to someone with versatility, integrity, and talent. She was the right person for the job.”

“I’m thrilled to be working in the Garden, surrounded by great beauty every day,” says Cahill. “I look forward to welcoming and hearing recommendations from visitors and long-time residents who have experienced the Garden for many years.”

Jean Nayar is an author and journalist who writes about architecture, design, art, and gardens. She is the Garden’s Writer in Residence and lives in Miami Beach with her husband.