Not too late, if you get one of the new "Lotus Express Plants" from Craig. He is working on making them so that they can be shipped as a small plant instead of as a tuber which breaks easily in the mail. I think he has already sent some out to some people. Don't know how to get one from him though, or if they are being sold somewhere. Maybe someone else will know.
Don't worry about being the "Lotus Killer". There are a lot of us that had a hard time growing them in the beginning. I killed a few myself and am only able to fund the hobby because I can get a decent deal when Matherfish and others put up their lotus tuber offerings here on the Plant Trader section during the spring.
My Favorite is "Green Maiden". She blooms for me always and is much happier now that I gave her a bog section all to herself.