Lilies That Sink

The water lily leaves turn just like leaves on the trees in autumn. The lily pads go yellow, then brown and then they sink. The plants have finished flowering but I spotted this late bud which is turning brown before it has opened. One of the great signs of spring for me is when the fresh green lily pads rise to the surface of the lake.

Of course the iconic images of water lilies are Monet's. Apart from his famous bright blue and green pictures from his garden in Giverny he did capture water lilies in browns and golds, particularly when his sight started to fail because of cataracts.