France’s hidden wonderboy
When we visited Latour-Marliac Nurseries, back in 2013, we had an interesting and pleasant talk with the owner, Robert Sheldon.
One of the main topics was of course the new Intersubgenic’s. We talked about Mike Giles and Pairat Songpanich and he told us that he knew of a waterlily-genius in Europe, didn’t wanted to elaborate at that time…so we were left wondering.
It took us 2 years, to finally discover who this wonderboy, well wonderman actually was. Well hidden somewhere in France, lives Florian Henaux.
This young guy didn’t just make one beauty, he made tons of them, not only hardies but also ISG’s. And as soon as he was happy with the result, he took them to the International Waterlily Competition.
With no less then 3 hardies and 1 ISG, he took his chance and his Nymphaea Darjeeling won second place, not bad for a first try.
We are very happy to introduce this Frenchmen. We always like to get to know more about the hybridizers, hopefully you do too.
PAST
Building the first pond
The best time to build a pond is when your firstborn is about to come into your life, that’s what Florian must have thought. His first pond was 6 to 5 meter and had a depth of 1 meter in the center. He remodelled this pond later on, because the first layer wasn’t deep enough for waterlilies.
Buying waterlilies
It al started with the purchase of a Nymphaea Sunrise, that in reality seemed to be a Nymphaea Colonel A.J Welch. This is a typical story for all us waterlily persons, buying a waterlily that turns out to be different from how it was labeled. Anyway, this Nymphaea Colonel A.J Welch found a good owner, Florian planted it in soil and just let it run wild, which of course it did. A weed, that’s how Florian calls this waterlily and we all know why.
Creating waterlilies
Before I got into hybridizing, I started with collecting waterlilies for 2 to 3 years. I bought those abroad and most of the time through the internet. Later on, I started exchanging with other fanatics, that’s how I met Gilles. He has a wonderful property in Dordogne with an enormous waterlily collection. When visiting him at home, he showed me his hybrids and explained his methods for hybridizing. From that moment on, I was bitten by the waterlily-virus and started my first hybrids. Like everything, it was a proces of trial and error and through the years, I refined my technique and skills. The wonderful website victoria-adventure helped me a lot.
PRESENT
Favourite waterlily
We always ask hybridizers for their favourite waterlily and found that most of the times they resemble their hybrids.
Florian doesn’t have one favourite waterlily though, but he gave us a small list of beauties he likes. For orange tones, he chooses Nymphaea Gregg’s Orange Beauty, because of the beautiful coloration. Nymphaea Black Princess is the big winner for the red ones and Nymphaea Than Kwan is his favourite pink, the Nymphaea Caroliniana Nivea wins the battle of the whites.
Next you have the tropicals, where Nymphaea Foxfire en Star of Siam are definitely worth top 5. Every year there are so many new varieties, that it’s impossible to make a list though.
Favourite nursery
Here also, it’s difficult to choose, especially because he bought most of his plants through the internet. The quality of a nursery shouldn’t be measured by the quantity but by the passion of the owner. Yann Mumber of Jardin Nelumbo has the same mindset as me and I hope that the collaboration between us two can remain for a long time.
Favourite botanic garden
That’s a though question, France has a lot of botanic gardens and they all are fantastic. But if I really have to pick one, it would be Jardin des Martels, it’s close by so I can visit it often. July is the perfect time to visit this wonderful garden, it has a gorgeous lotus field and that’s the time they are at there best.
FUTURE
We are not curious, but we do like to know how our favourite hybridizers see the future. No, we don’t believe in fortune-telling but we are interested in their dreams and deepest waterlily-desires.
Wishlist waterlilies
We asked Florian, which waterlilies he would love to add to his collection.
His answer was simple: the latest of Mike Giles, Tony Moore, Florida Aquatic Nursery and Buafah Garden. Unfortunately I don’t have space enough left to expand my collection (who of us does anyway?) I dream about visiting the International Waterlily Collection in Texas and to be able to see the most beautiful waterlilies of the whole wide world in one place!
Wishlist to visit
We also asked what places are on his to visit list.
I don’t have a specific list, but every time I go on vacation I try to look for gardens nearby.
If I ever happen to go to Thailand, I would definitely try to visit all these beautiful gardens and nurseries. The photos I have seen of these places are phenomenal.
The perfect waterlily
How does your perfect waterlily looks like?
I don’t think it’s possible to describe the perfect waterlily. There are already so many colours and shapes and possibilities as it is. Each variety has it’s strengths and weaknesses. Some float on the water, some stand high above the leaves. You have star shaped ones and cup shaped and of course there are the amount of petioles. Not only there are endless possibilities in colour and shape, there is also the scent, period of flowering, days and hours of flowering…. Endless combinations are possible and so it seems impossible to describe the perfect waterlily.
It doesn’t stop there, there are also big differences in leaves. Different colours and shapes, like dark green, marmered,….round or oval. Some of the tropical waterlilies have more beautiful leaves then they have flowers. All this makes hybridizing waterlilies so interesting and the possible results are endless and can be quite spectaculair. Mother nature has so much more to offer.
Collection
Bought
Albatros, Almost Black, American Star, Andreana, Arc-en-ciel, Attraction, Aurora, Barbara Dobbins, Berit Strawn, Betsy Sakata, Black Princess, Burgundy Princess, Caroliniana Nivea, Celebration, Charlene Strawn, Charles de Meurville, Château le Rouge, Colonel A.J. Welch, Colorado, Conqueror, Denver, Escarboucle, Fiesta, Firecrest, Florida Sunset, Fried Egg, Froebeli, Georgia Peach, Gladstoniana, Gloire du Temple sur Lot, Gonnère, Graziella (ou Chrysantha), Gregg’s Orange Beauty, Hazorea White Dagan, Helvola, Hidden Violet, Hollandais, Indiana, James Brydon, Jerusalem Dawn, Joey Tomocik, Laydekeri Lilacea, Lemon Mist, Lily Pons, Lucida, Madame Wilfron Gonnère, Mangkala Ubol, Manee Red, Marliacea Albida, Marliacea Carnea, Marliacea Chromatella, Marliacea Rosea, Masaniello, Mayla, mexicana, Mooreii, Norma Gedye, Newton, Odalisque, Odorata Sulphurea, Odorata Turicencis, Ozark Queen, Peace Lily, Peaches & Cream, Pearl of the Pool, Perry’s Baby Red, Perry’s Cactus Pink, Perry’s Double Yellow, Perry’s Fire Opal, Perry’s Magnificient, Perry’s Orange Sunset, Perry’s Pink, Perry’s Super Red, Perry’s Red Glow, Perry’s Red Star, Perry’s Viviparous Pink, Perry’s Wildfire, Phoebus, Pink Grapefruit, Pink Sensation, Pink Sunrise, Pygmaea Alba, Red Paradise, Red Spider, Rosanna Supreme, Rosennymphe, Rosy Morn, Rotkapchen, Shady Lady, Siam Purple 2, Sioux, Sirius, Solfatare, Sunny Pink, Sunrise, Supranee Pink, Texas Dawn, Than Kwan, Tuberose Maxima, Tuberose Richardsoni, Vesuve, Weymouth Red, White 1000 Petals, William Falconer, Wow, Yellow Enigma, Yuh Ling, Zores
Created
Most of the hybrids don’t have names yet, we can give you a list of the ones that do.
2013: A coeur ouvert, Calice doré, Darjeeling, Demoiselle, Diablotin, Dying Star, Fantaisie, Feu Follet, Florilège, Fractale, Fumerolle, Jupiter, Maestro, Pacotille, Pink Punk, Pommerose, Poupée Russe, Pulse, Punch, Puzzle, Quartz Rose, Reine du bal, Rosace, Sceptre Royal, Tarentule
2014: Bonbon Rose, Coeur d’Améthyste, Comète, Stromboli
Awards
- 2nd place hardy nymphaea met Nymphaea Darjeeling (2015 new waterlily competition)
- 1st place hardy nymphaea Reine du bal (2016 new waterlily competition)
- 2nd place hardy nymphaea met Nymphaea Demoiselle (2016 new waterlily competition)
- 2nd place ISG nymphaea Madinina
Agua
We are delighted with this new hybridizer, we were looking forward to a new French trendsetter. We believe that every hybridizer has it’s own style and always is a big addition to the waterlily-world.
It’s nice to have a European hybridizer for a change and a good one at that. Not only the waterlilies are beautiful, just think about the names…. “A coeur ouvert”, “Poupée Russe”, “Calice doré”, phenomenal, names that make you daydream, just thinking of them.
We hope we can add some of these beauties to our collection the coming years.
And yes, we have another to visit place to add to our wish list.