There's a particular kind of light that only shows up for a few minutes at a time in the gardens at Como Park, low, warm, and angled just right to pass straight through a flower instead of bouncing off it. That's the light this water lily is caught in. Each petal reads like stained glass, purple deepening to near-black at the base and lightening to a soft blush white toward the center, with the blurred greens of lily pads and the conservatory's glass panes dissolving into a dreamy backdrop behind it.

It's a portrait more than a landscape, a single bloom given the space to be the whole story. The kind of image that rewards a slow look: the translucency at the petal edges, the faint gold dusting where pollen has settled, the quiet symmetry of the flower reaching upward on its stem.

Looks Best On: Acrylic. The glass-like clarity and depth acrylic prints are known for suit this image especially well; it makes those backlit purples and whites feel luminous, almost glowing, the way they did in person. If you're after something warmer and more textural for the room, a canvas gallery wrap is a beautiful alternative; it softens the color transitions and gives the piece an almost painterly quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sizes is this print available in?
This piece is offered in large-format sizes only, we've moved away from small prints to focus on pieces substantial enough to anchor a wall. Available formats and exact dimensions are listed in the size selector above.

Which format should I choose?
For color depth and a glowing, glass-like finish, acrylic is the top pick for this image. Prefer a softer, more textured look? Canvas gallery wrap is a great choice for warm, botanical images like this one. Metal is also available for a sleek, modern presentation with rich color saturation, a strong option if your space leans contemporary.

Is it ready to hang?
Yes, canvas, metal, and acrylic all arrive ready to hang, no framing required. Fine art paper is available print-only if you'd like to source your own framing.

Will the colors match what I'm seeing on my screen?
Every print is color-corrected and produced through our professional lab to stay true to the richness of the original file, but screens vary, so slight variation is normal. The deep purples and soft whites in this piece print beautifully true to what you see here.

How do I care for my print?
Acrylic and metal can be wiped clean with a soft, dry microfiber cloth. Canvas should be dusted gently and kept out of direct, prolonged sunlight to preserve color vibrancy over time.

Where was this photographed?
This water lily was captured in the reflecting pools just outside the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park in St. Paul, Minnesota, a free public garden and zoo that's been a Twin Cities landmark for over a century. The conservatory's sunken garden and lily pools are one of the most photogenic spots in the metro during summer bloom season.

What kind of water lily is this?
This is a tropical water lily (genus Nymphaea), prized for the vivid purple-to-white gradient in its petals, a coloring you won't typically see in hardy water lily varieties. Tropical lilies like this one open in the morning and close by early afternoon, and each bloom only lasts a few days, which makes catching one at its peak, backlit like this, a bit of a small stroke of luck.