July 2024 saw a group of international experts and enthusiasts descended on Reading for this year’s International Waterlily & Water Garden Society Symposium (IWGS) event.
“The pivotal role of ponds in greening our gardens”.
With wildlife struggling from habitat loss, pollution, and weather extremes, our gardens have become vital refuges. In addition to the wide range of plants, fish, dragonflies and other water organisms that thrive in our water gardens, many organisations note their value in encouraging and supporting amphibians and bird life too.
How do we encourage gardeners to create diverse and beneficial water features?
Education Day & Talks
I managed to secure a ticket to the ‘Education Day’, which featured an array of specialist speakers who are experts in their field.
Various topics of interest were covered by speakers including:
Prof. Dr. Wolfram Kircher – Anhalt University, Germany
Topic: Natural swimming pools: Filtration techniques and feedback from real-life examples
Wolfram is co-author of the well-received book How to Build a Natural Swimming Pool. View profile
Zijun Li – Guangzhou, China
Topic: Current State and Trends of Water Lily Hybridization
Zijun is famed for developing the Detective Erika water lily.
Dr. Matthew Hill – Bournemouth University, England
Topic: Garden ponds: The most important freshwater habitat in urban landscapes?
Presentation: Preserving Urban Freshwater Biodiversity: The Roles of Garden Ponds
Matthew shared preliminary research into how pond management affects biodiversity. The key takeaway — as most in our industry know — is that ponds are vitally important habitats. Individually and collectively, they help increase the biodiversity and fecundity of flora and fauna. Read more
Panel Discussions
A panel of aquatic plant experts discussed:
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Reducing unwanted hitch-hikers such as duckweed, pests, and viruses
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Considering plastic use in the industry
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Exploring environmentally friendly fertiliser options
Industry Contributions
Talks were also delivered by two of the UK’s leading aquatic plant growers and suppliers:
Special Recognition: Carlos Magdalena
Carlos Magdalena was inducted into the IWGS Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contributions to water lily research.
Carlos is a Senior Botanical Horticulturist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, specialising in tropical plants, plant propagation, and conservation. He is well known for collecting and classifying rare tropical plants — most recently for his work classifying a new species of giant water lily, the Victoria boliviana. Read more
Additional Highlights & Garden Visits
The full event included:
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A silent auction
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Poster presentations
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Networking and discussions during breaks and evening dinners
Organised Visits Included:
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Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew – including the Tropical Lily House
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Bennett Water Gardens – holders of the national collection of water lilies
Optional Visits Included:
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Oxford Botanic Gardens
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Hidcote Garden
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Sezincote
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Wakehurst
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Beaver Plants
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Anglo Aquatic Plants
Conclusion
This was a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded individuals from around the world who share a passion for developing water gardens for the benefit of the environment.
Learn More
To find out more about the International Waterlily and Water Garden Symposium, visit their website: https://iwgs.org/