This year, Madison Square Park’s water garden—located in the Reflecting Pool—is filled with lotuses, papyrus, and canna! Featuring many bright pinks and yellows, it is currently bringing light touches of reflective color to the park.

You’ll see Cyperus papyrus ‘King Tut’ with its large, feathery flower heads surrounding the outside of the Reflecting Pool, adding dimension to its waters. Cyperus papyrus was once used for making papyrus paper in Egypt. Canna ‘Shining Diva’ can also be spotted, providing fabulous, creamy yellow flowers and lush green foliage.

While the Cyperus papyrus and Canna have been providing interest for the last month, the lotuses are just kicking off; we installed these as tubers with no growth, so they took a little longer to join the party. Titan Lotus and Ladybug Lotus have similar flowers but vary in height, while the Ai Jiangnan Lotus provides contrast with its yellow flower.

You may have noticed that the water they are found in is a darker color than typical bodies of water. This helps reflect our iconic tree canopy and prevents algae buildup by interfering with the algaes’ ability to photosynthesize. Fertilizing the aquatic plants also keeps them healthy and consistently flowering all season.

(Photo Credit: Mark Gallucci)