I've had a thing about collecting hardy water lilies a few years, and had the joy of struggling with them in England as well as North Carolina, where Summer and Winter is far more brutal than England

I'd have to say there are many old hybrids which are every bit as spectacular as trendy new ones... Lucida, James Brydon, Gonnere come to mind... When you gether a few good sources you will soon start to find out, there are maybe 200 plus really outstanding hardies to choose between, then there are hundreds others as well, perhaps with slightly less desireable features.... shy bloomers (eg Pygmaea Rubra) aggresive growing habit (eg Colorado)

Anyways, in the quest to tinker with the more interesting varieties, I try to collect the best examples according to my own quirky criterion and what opportunity brings

Eg Red, Pink, Yellow, White, Changeable... Small medium Large... Seed parent, pollen parent... I don't want to collect them all, just put the best collection together that can be mustered and 'have a go' at raising new varieties (three or four this Summer so far)

Anyways, the photographs of many of these have been put together in a webshots folder, so if anyone wants to get 'some idea' of what hardy waterlilies 'can do' there are 50 or so photos in the two hardy water lily folders which just might make for a useful starting point

Now while you might think, oh, this can't be done in England, well, yes it can, though in England you have maybe not quite so long or as hot a Summer. When you get one of those prolonged warm Summer spells, hardies 'fire up' such a spectacular show in temperate zones, haing stacked up buds waiting to be ignited... this is something you don't quite get where the heat is brutal, but the hardies are doing one's and two's and three's of blooms all Summer long

Hardy waterlily folders at webshots:
http://community.webshots.com/user/adavisus

Regards, andy
http://www.members.aol.com/abdavisnc/swglist.html