The Lily Ponds ©
Water cascades through the jungle garden from the crest of the slope to
a large pond above the ombu. This pond and those below contain interesting
aquatic plants including tropical and hardy waterlilies that produce many
colorful flowers in the summer. One of the southernmost ponds contains plants
of the Lotus, which produce large delicate pink blossoms that rise above
the platter-shaped leaves in midsummer. Around these ponds are tropical
clump-forming bamboos, members of the grass family.
To the west and south of the ponds is a collection of conifers, or cone-bearing
plants. The largest are the araucarias of the southern hemisphere, redwoods,
and the Montezuma cypress from Mexico. A handsome specimen of the deodar
cedar grows in the southwest corner. At the garden's center are the area's
largest specimens of dawn redwood, Kashmir cypress, and Taiwania.