Inside Brookgreen Gardens’ weight-lifting waterlilies.

MURRELLS INLET — Horticulturist Kevin Bendetti carefully stepped into the pool of large, green waterlilies at Brookgreen Gardens .

It was time to test some plant power.

Bendetti placed a protective slab atop one of the leaves, then gingerly added a 10-pound sandbag. Then another.

The Victoria Longwood Hybrid waterlily was able to withstand about 20 pounds before water began to pour over its lipped edges.

Not bad, but certainly no record.

This month, Brookgreen’s giant pads duked it out with plants at 48 other botanical gardens in the “Waterlily Weigh-Off,” a global competition organized by Denver Botanic Gardens . Brookgreen lilies have been included in the challenge for the past two years, and the Murrells Inlet nonprofit was the only representative from South Carolina in the 20