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K & P Projects
6828 26th St W
Bradenton, FL 34207, USA
941.758.2926
410.638.8119 fax
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About Us  /  Contact Us
Paula Biles, co-author of The Lotus
Kelly Billing, co-author of The Lotus
Paula Biles was diagnosed at an early age with CPO (chronic plant
obsession) and after graduate school the condition became severe.
The constant compulsion to have growing leaves and muddy hands
led to an obvious treatment -- water gardening.
As a child, Kelly Billing was inspired to garden by her mother, who
taught her plant identification during long walks in the woods. This
love of nature and captivation with plants and flowers has remained
a constant in her life, and now she is instilling it in her own children.
On a more formal note, Paula belongs to the Garden Writers Association and has been a
regular columnist for numerous hobbyist and trade magazines, including KOI USA, Ponds &
Gardens, and Nursery Retailer. Her articles and photographs have appeared countless
times in water garden magazines, newspapers, books, and online.
Some of the many awards Kelly has won include the 2000 Honor Award for serving as a
Director on the Maryland Nurserymen’s Association Board, the 2002 Frog Award from the
Garden Pond Promotional Alliance, and the IWGS 2004 Certificate of Appreciation for her
efforts on the collection and dissemination of invasive aquatic plant information.
The Lotus:
Know It and Grow It
by Kelly Billing & Paula Biles
We formed K&P Projects to share our love of lotus (and other
aquatics) in an engaging and inspiring way. The initial ‘project’ is our
book, The Lotus: Know It and Grow It, originally written for the IWGS.
We were pleased to obtain the reprint rights and to offer it for sale,
while also continuing support for IWGS. Selling the book helps finance
our lotus-aholic activities.
Our next ‘project’ is this website, which expands lotus education to other formats and a
worldwide audience. We are planning the site’s growth to incorporate all kinds of lotus
information, news, research, art, and products. Over the next year we will nurture it
and watch it mature from a seed to a blooming plant.
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The last components of her successful treatment were to establish a
local pond club, work as managing editor of Pondkeeper magazine,
serve as executive director of the International Waterlily & Water
Gardening Society (IWGS), then travel to the Amazon and Thailand.
Her therapy involved a steady dose of teaching and writing about
water gardens and aquatics. Rehabilitation was slow at first, but
before long she was lecturing, her articles and photographs were
published, plus she was speaking before local and national groups --
the perfect remedy for this affliction.
Paula is married and lives in Bradenton, Florida, where thanks to
water gardening, her disease is now in remission.
Edible plants and those with a history are of particular interest.
Lotus is her favorite since it is one of the world's most researched
plants and its magical wonder has yet to be fully discovered.
She also writes for water gardening publications. Kelly speaks often
to nursery associations, horticultural societies, garden centers, and
garden clubs. She is passionate about the water gardening industry
and enjoys sharing her knowledge, especially with children.
Kelly has worked for over twenty years as the Nursery Manager for
Maryland Aquatic Nurseries, Inc. She is co-author of the Water
Gardener's Bible (Rodale, 2008) and a regular columnist for Pond &
Garden Lifestyle (formerly Pondkeeper).
The incoming information can come from anyone -- Nelumbo academics, lotus fanciers,
plant lovers, artists, philosophers, or anyone else. Send lotus news, research, growing
tips, art, and trivia to GoodStuff@AboutTheLotus.com. We will share it so others can
learn and better appreciate the lotus and nature’s intricacies. Please come back
regularly to see what’s new at AboutTheLotus.com.
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You can see Kelly at
Maryland Aquatic
Nurseries' booth during
Ladew Gardens' Festival
on May 1 (Monkton, MD).
Their Plants & Garden
Ornaments Sale
will have exclusive dealers
featuring hard to find
plants and decorative
treasures. For really
serious collectors, there
is even a special early
preview.
Please email comments
about The Lotus or the
website to us.
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Hi-res cover image.
Spring Special
& to order books
See the Authors
Paula will be at Selby
Botanical Gardens spring
plant fair on March 21,
2010 (Sarasota, FL). She will
be signing copies of the
book and giving a talk
about ... what else ... lotus.

Stop by to get your
autographed copy and/or
a new lotus.