Page 41 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2025

FEATURED MEMBER (Continued)

relationships dictate the health of Lotus and Waterlily Exhibition held at According to Billing, the book now
the environment. Guyi Garden and the 30th National can be found on the Internet priced
Lotus Flower Exhibition Symposium for more than $1,000 — and she’s
Billing asserts the adage “right plant,
right place” applies in water as well in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. right! A book dealer in Denver,
as on land. The right plants improve Billing commented, “I’ve been to Colorado, lists it for sale at $1,150.89
water quality while showing their China, France, Mexico… It’s the plus $4.25 shipping. “They should
magic. “I’m a huge lover of lotus and funniest thing — when I started call me,” Billing said. “It’s $15.”
water lilies,” she said. “When they working in this industry and my Her second book was “The Water
have the space to flourish, they can salary was bologna sandwiches, if Gardener’s Bible” (published in
really shine.” you’d said I would travel the world I the United Kingdom as “Water
would have thought you were crazy.” Gardens”), co-authored with Ben
Her clients across the country
allow her to make a difference on While she has been a mentor to Helm in 2008.
projects through proper planning many, Billing said she has been In addition, Billing has worked on
and planting. They include Anthony blessed to have many mentors of nutrient uptake and water quality
Archer-Wills LLC, David B. Duensing her own, including the late “King of improvement studies with several
& Associates, David S. Brown Grasses,” Kurt Bluemel of Maryland; organizations, local and regional.
Enterprises Ltd., Reflections Water Anthony Archer-Wills, one of the She compiled the Aquatic Plant
Gardens and more. world's foremost authorities on Regulated & Invasive Species List
water gardening; Patrick Nutt and for the nursery trade in the United
She noted the industry has a lot of
contractors who build ponds but Tim Jennings from Longwood States. She started the list, she said,
are not landscapers. “We’re like a Gardens; Rolf Nelson from Nelson because there wasn’t one. Her
stepchild. We are a specialized field.” Water Gardens, and Ken Landon version has since been replaced with
from the International Waterlily a more formal list published by the
Billing is recognized locally, Collection. National Plant Board.
nationally, and internationally as a
teacher, having shared her expertise Billing is also a prolific writer. In You may reach Kelly at 443-504-2345
at venues including Longwood addition to articles for several trade or visit her corporate website,
Gardens, the International Waterlily magazines and water gardening www.kellybilling.com. A
and Water Gardening Society publications, in 2008 she published
(IWGS) Symposium, Helix Summit, “The Lotus, Know It and Grow It”
Water Garden Expo, Pondapalooza, for the IWGS with co-author Paula
Genesis 3, Cornell University Biles. The book was the result of
Extension, University of Maryland a volunteer project, undertaken
Extension Pest Management because there were not any books
Conferences, Chesapeake Green, on how to grow lotus. The original
Master Gardeners, and with work was too big; it exceeded
garden centers, garden clubs and the organization’s postage limit, Carol Kinsley
horticultural societies. so material had to be eliminated. Kinsley Communications
In 2010, the book was translated, 410-924-3582
In addition to other international expanded and re-published with cjkinsley@comcast.net
symposia, she traveled to China to photos added as a Korean hardback
speak at the 4th Annual Shanghai edition.

PHOTO PAGE 40: Annapolis - South Fork Studio residential project: natural swimming pool. Plant selection and installation Kelly Billing
Membership Matters • WINTER 2025 41