Early Saturday morning, dozens of visitors waited in line for the 8:30 a.m. opening of the McKee Botanical Garden’s 19th annual Water Lily Festival.
Armed with cameras or easels, paints and canvases, most of the eager group had risen early to catch a last glimpse of the elusive night-blooming water lilies that open at dusk and retract their stunning petals at sunrise.
This popular event always attracts locals and visitors from across the state, attracting outdoor artists, photographers, horticulture enthusiasts and families with children.
On this particular morning, most of the early visitors made their way first to the perfect spot to view the coveted night-blooming beauties – the iconic stone bridge that arches gracefully over the main pond. The pond is just one of McKee’s five ponds and magical waterways.
As longtime resident Helen Wise watched a few small children eagerly pulling their father toward the small bridge, she smiled and said that it was on that very bridge that she saw her first alligator. Of course, that was back in the early days when the garden was still called McKee Jungle Garden and its residents included not just an alligator or two but a family of monkeys as well.
Rich Carter, a former Bostonian and first-time visitor to McKee, set up his camera at the pond’s edge and watched the bright water lilies bobbing on their flat green leaves on the sparkling water.
“I’m here just having fun,” he said. “It’s beautiful. So beautiful.”
Local artist Jerry Smietanka carefully positioned himself to get the best view, setting up his easel, palette, paints and brushes in the grass at the water’s edge. He said that in his years painting in McKee, he has continually found new and exciting subjects in the ever-changing tropical environment.
Waist deep in another pond, as a group of water lily lovers watched and listened intently under a canopy on the bank, Nikki Wojtowicz carefully pulled a water lily from the water and hoisted it aloft, leaving its wet roots/legs dangling, as she demonstrated how to properly “transplant” a water lily, sharing other fascinating facts about water lilies.
A popular highlight of the festivities is always the Water Lily Photo Contest, with entries displayed in the historic Hall of Giants.
In this year’s competition, the ‘Best in Show’ photo was selected by New York-based photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo, an author of several books whose photographic work has appeared in publications such as Vogue, Architectural Digest, Cabana and House & Garden UK.
Best in Show and first place in black and white went to Tina Baxter for “Lotus Love,” a stunning shot that captured the curves and shadows of each delicate petal against a dramatic black background.
The other top winners were: Audience Favorite: “Egyptian Bloom,” John Sinclair; First Place Color: “My Happy Place,” Les Greenwood; First Place Manipulated: “Floral Love,” Tina Baxter; First Place Youth: “Lily Among the Pads,” Sha’Nilah Elder.
Plant and craft vendors displayed their wares on the patios of the Spanish Kitchen and Garden Café, and as they left the café, many visitors walked to the parking lots and hugged their beautiful new residents, giving them the gift of their own garden.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
