If April showers bring May flowers, the heat and sunshine of July bring water lilies. And oh, what a dazzling show they put on!

I attribute this 100% to moving the pond from the spot next to the Japanese maple tree to where it now sits along the southern parapet. After going all last year without a single bloom, I realised the former spot just wasn’t getting enough sunlight. And while the move “messed up” my original vision for the layout of the space, I actually couldn’t be happier with the dives of the pond this year. Healthy fish, blooming water lilies—everything a pond should be.

And this is only the first bloom of the season. There’s already another bud breaking the surface, and I’m hopeful that the other two lilies will send some up soon too.