There are so many. Any color preferences?
Dark red - Black Princess, unique and almost a waxy appearance.
Pink - Mayla is an almost iridescent color, but can be a bit odd growing, especially early. Colorado is a common standard.
Peach - Peach Glow, by far the best performer in my experience.
White - Virginalis
Shady setting - Arc en ceil, interesting pinkish mottling to the pads.
Tropical
Autumn/Sunset color - Albert Greenberg
Purple - Star of Siam, strong mottling like Leopardess.
Night bloomer red - Jennifer Rebecca or Red Flare
Green Smoke - Most interesting coloring of any tropical I've seen, not for everyone though.
General Pershing - pinkish and large, good looking.
Rhonda Kay - Extremely highly held blooms, more unique in appearance.

Hi
I only grow tropicals because I live in S. florida .I'm not sure how cold hardy they are but know they will survive frost. These have the most varieties such as night blooming, have bigger flowers held much further from the water and of course many shades of blue . I only grow two ,Blue Goddess and King of Siam. they have very large sky blue and deep purple flowes often as much as 14 inches accross held two feet out of the water. While the color is fantastic they also have incredible aromas.
If you can grow tropicals I'd choose from them by blooming phase(day or night) then by size. many get enormous so plan accordingly lol. What's your favorite color. ?? Do you plan on growing other types of water plants?? If so you will have to leave room for them .
There are just too many to choose from and water lilies are incredibly easy to grow . look at some lists and see what appeals to you. Pay particular attention to spread and pad size can range from around two inches to well over six feet!! So choose the growth that fits your pool !!
gary

I grow mostly hardies. I just don't care to mess with the tropicals that much because I'm in a colder winter climate.

My favorites are probably Mangkala Ubol, Denver, Gold Medal, Pink Sunrise, Pink Beauty, Firecrest, Colorado and Mayla. With the exception of the Mayla they are also my best bloomers.

I just can't get enough of 'Attraction' (Hardy). But, watershaper has me very curious about Peach Glow and Arc en ceil. They sound GREAT!

Peach glow has done extremely well for us, SW Iowa zone4/5. They are a very nice peach color, we fertilize about once a month with highland rim fert, and I have a picture with one that has 18 buds on it at one time. Arc en Ceil is one of the best shade tolerant water lilies. It is a soft pink with angular petals. The pads are as interesting as anything, like some mottled tropicals, similar to leopardess and the siams, but pink blotches instead of a dark color. We also have a picture of one entirely pink lily pad. They are very interesting water lilies.

I added a new red one last year called Almost Black that was outstanding. It produced lots of flowers. It wouldn't stop. I just repotted it and it already has buds. I hope it is as happy this year! The green frogs liked this one too and would sit in the flowers.

Also added Georgia Peach and Colorado - they also were great producers but I'm not sure which is which - they look the same. Probably I got 2 of the same - but which one? I love that they stand up above the water.

Favorite pink is Mayla. She does glow!

OOohhh, Watershaper - Arc en Ciel is the ONE waterlily I would love to add. I love the mottled leaves and the shape of the flower.
sam

Almost black is a great lily also, very similar to the black princess, but not waxy in appearance. Dark reds often are the first to bloom in the spring, but can burn in heavy sun, both occasions due to their cold weather... 'ancestry'. Lidekeri Fulgens (not sure of spelling) is another of out earliest bloomers. Could be lilacia, but I think fulgens.

I brought this back up because of some of the questions had to do with lilies.

For me, my yellows are the most prolific bloomers: Joey Tomocik and Texas Dawn. But my white lilies, Moon Dance and Marlia Albida are first to bloom. Again this year my Marlia Albida is doing well and it hasn't even been that warm.

We do have a plant trading forum on our site
www.americanponders.com
yes it is free.

My favorite hardies of the 15 I have are Cynthia Ann, Lemmon mist and Colorado in that order. My favorite tropical is Pamela a beautiful blue.
I had Arc en ciel for two years and other than the pads was not impressed so I ended up tossing it this year.

I don't have any "fancy" waterlilies. I've gotten all 3 of mine at Big Box stores. But they are all beautiful to me.
I have sulfurea (yellow), rose arey (pink), Opal's fire (pink).
I've been thinking about getting Chrysantha, but haven't yet.
I also didn't allow myself to buy any tropical lilies this year, but my favorites in the past of those were Juno (white) and Panama Pacific (purple). Tina was good too (purple).