This was my plant of desire from the Hampton Court Flower Show - the Lotus Lily , Nelumbo. I was fully prepared to drag one home on the train, dripping pond water across Paddington Station and through the First Class carriages. I don't think one can be arrested for having exotic, aqatic plants strapped to your back in England. Not yet, at least. But, what little common sense I do possess prevailed, and I walked away, sobbing quietly into my Pimms.
But seriously, they are stunning things, incredibly beautiful. The flower stalks and enormous, self cleaning leaves stand high, out of the water.
My first encounter with a lotus lilly was at a nursery in America, many years ago.
I was transfixed, wanted to take it home with me to Cornwall, dripping pond water through JFK Airport and across the Atlantic. What harm could one Lotus lilly do? But, one can be arrested for international plant smuggling in America. Once again, what little common sense I do possess prevailed, and I walked away, cursing air travel and sobbing quietly into my sugar free, skinny iced tea . . .
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