Walmart has cheap prices - use land plants - impatiens are wonderful, I plant them in planters, floating islands. Many annuals will grow in water just remember to keep the crown of the plant out of the water - the more the better and plants are great filters. Like mint? - it grows great in just rocks. This year I'm trying sveral floating islands using poly batting and some pea gravel as a cover over the batting - also trying wild flow mix this year. I add time release fertilizer, Job tomato sticks asre fine, I've used Job flow sticks also Impatiens love being soiless planters in water - just keeep the crowns above the water level - crown is where the stem and roots meet. last summer, I raided my wife's annuals and had good success. Annuals are cheap, fun to try, and you don't have a great expense if there is a loss. I have ivy growing in soiles planters, Water iris, a cattail, a fern did well last year, and some other plants I can't remember their names. bottom line, cheap and fun. Hey - that's the fumn of ponding. WARNING -domn't let the plants or fish read "what the experts say" and you'll be okay.

Plant deep. With the exception of Candidum, lilies should be planted 8"-10" deep. Many lilies are stem rooting and planting deep allows for more stem roots to stabilize the plant and provide extra nourishment. Deep planting has some additional benefits. 1) It helps prevent winter snacking by squirrels. It takes a pretty beefy squirrel to get down 8". Squirrels notice freshly disturbed earth so tamp area down after you plant. We have a LARGE squirrel population in my neighborhood. They've nailed my tulips on occassion and annihilated my cyclamen (surface planted bulbs - what was I thinking!) but have yet to get any of my lilies. 2) If you live in an area with large temp swings in the winter (like the Mid-Atlantic region) deep planting also helps prevent early sprouting since the deeper soil takes longer to change its temp with external weather changes. Hope this helps, -Helen

If they are dormant, why not plant them. If they are growing I wait awhile. Just because they are tough doesn't mean fresh tender growth could take a freeze. Mine own patch is still dormant, and there is no rush with this plant anyway since it doesn't bloom until late summer or fall. Has anyone noticed that in warm wet summers it can bloom as much as a month earlier than in years with very hot and dry weather.

According to The Southern Living Garden Book, "Callas need full sun to partial shade, and regular water during growth and bloom. All Callas, except Aethiopica (the old timey white ones) die to the ground each year in fall and reappear in spring. They need slightly acid soil and regular water during growth and bloom, followed by a resting period in which, ideally, water is withheld. They will tolerate moisture if soil is well drained. They should be planted in fall, 2 inches deep and 8 to 12 inches apart. Leave undisturbed until overcrowding causes a decline in vigor and bloom quality. Elsewhere, plant rhizomes in spring and lift them in fall. The book says they are only hardy in the coastal and tropical south." Of course, our recent winters have been so warm, we've been able to get away with leaving them in the ground through winter. Just judging by what you have written, it is possible that your bed is overcrowded. Plants need some space. Your begonias and gerberas shouldn't be much closer than one foot apart. All the plants in your bed like full sun to part shade, but with the heat we've been having, they would probably prefer part shade (morning sun, afternoon shade would be ideal). If I were you, I would wait to see what happens next spring. If they don't return, I recommend that you try the white ones: Zantedeschia Aethiopica. They are more hardy, don't need to be dug in the winter, and are gorgeous and evergreen. Mine are white ones, with white speckled leaves. I planted them last year and they did fine, but the foliage was pretty ratty looking by the end of summer. I moved them into more shade this spring and they are doing much better. They are blooming for a longer period and the foliage is holding well even in this intense heat we've been having. This could be because of the new location, but it may also just be because they've been in the ground for a year now and have gained size and strength. The truth is, gardening is always a guessing game. You learn all you can from books and experienced gardeners, but ultimately, you just have to wait and see.