Summer Water Lilies: From Garden Dreams to Norfolk Broads Adventures

There's something magical about waiting patiently for a single flower to bloom, only to discover its wild cousins thriving in waterways just miles from your studio. This July finally brought the reward I'd been hoping for. That first delicate pink bloom, unfurling on the surface of my whisky barrel pond, felt like nature's own celebration of the season.

Water lilies are notorious for taking their time — they need to establish strong root systems, find the perfect balance of light and nutrients, and somehow decide that conditions are finally right for the energy-intensive process of blooming.

When that first bud finally pushed through the water's surface and began its slow unfurling, I found myself checking on it multiple times each day and just smiling. Water lilies are beautifully magical.

Exploring the Norfolk Broads

We've been experiencing quite the heatwave here in Norfolk, and rather than wilting indoors, I've been making the most of it by getting out on the Norfolk Broads at every opportunity and enjoying my new love of paddle boarding and exploring Norfolk from a completely new angle. There's something transformative about approaching these ancient waterways from water level, paddle board gliding silently through landscapes that have remained largely unchanged. It was during these dawn expeditions that I began discovering the wild water lily populations that would eventually inspire an entire new collection.

Unlike land-based flowers that rise up from solid ground, water lilies exist in a state of gentle suspension—their blooms floating serenely while their leaves create natural rafts on the water's surface. Working through July's sun-soaked days, studio windows thrown open to catch any breeze, I found myself thinking about the interplay between flower and water, between the solid certainty of the blooms and the fluid, ever-changing surface that supports them.

Water Lilies in British Culture and Folklore

Long before Monet made them famous in his Giverny garden, water lilies held deep significance in British folklore and mythology. These aquatic beauties were often called "white water rose" or "candock" in medieval England, and their mysterious ability to emerge pristine from muddy waters made them powerful symbols of purity and spiritual transformation.

In Celtic tradition, water lilies were believed to be the guardians of sacred pools and springs. The flowers were thought to bloom only where the water was blessed by ancient spirits, and finding a lily-covered pool was considered a sign of divine favour.

Perhaps most enchanting is the old English belief that water lilies were "fairy cradles." Country folk believed that newborn water spirits would sleep in the cupped petals during their first nights of life, protected by the flower's natural ability to close at dusk. This is why, according to tradition, you should never pick a water lily after sunset—you might be disturbing a sleeping fairy child.

Lessons from the Water

This summer's water lily journey has taught me something valuable about the creative process. Sometimes our best work comes not from forcing inspiration, but from following natural rhythms and allowing discoveries to unfold in their own time.

When my garden lily bloomed, it coincided perfectly with ideal conditions for exploring Norfolk's waterways. The heatwave that might have kept me indoors instead drove me onto the water at the perfect moment to witness wild lily populations at their peak.

Looking Forward

As summer continues and the water lily season reaches its peak, I'm reminded that some of the most meaningful artistic discoveries come from simply being present in the natural world around us. Whether it's waiting patiently for a garden bloom, taking advantage of unusual weather to explore familiar places from new perspectives, or allowing the intersection of personal success and wild discovery to spark creative work—inspiration often finds us when we're open to receiving it.

For those inspired to seek out Norfolk's wild water lilies, early morning or late afternoon paddling sessions offer the best viewing conditions. The flowers open with the sunrise and often close by evening, but catching them in that perfect moment when they're fully unfurled and reflecting the golden light is one of summer's simple privileges.