Hi Evelyn,
I just posted that I have some tropical Lavender Lace for trade. It's your zone! I also just put my pond lilies and lotus down to the bottom of my pond this last weekend! I grew lotus from seed, and most of them did very well, you just have to remember NOT TO BREAK THE GROWING TIPS!! AND, I did break a few before I got the hang of it :) I got my seeds free and from trades so I had more than a few to work with! I also bought some lotus, and managed to have one HUGE lotus put out pads all over the place, hopefully next summer it will bloom for me :) I am certain if you try just one more time you too can grow them from seeds :) It is really fun to see them come up and out of a container, grow pads, and then grow up into big pots!! Please let me know if you might be interested in my Lavender Lace water lilies?
I might be able to cut some tubers off mine in the early summer too!
Thanks,
Patricia_mi