There are many ways to experiment if you want to grow plants around and in your garden pond. This post lists some suitable plant varieties that can make your selection easier. Explore the diversity of pond plants to create an environment suitable for a variety of crops. However, in order for your pond plants to thrive, you should consider a few important factors.
Position your pond so that it receives at least 6 hours of sun each day. Pond plants bloom better in full sun. The first step in installing mostWater features in the gardenis the creation of an impermeable basin to hold the water. For a small space, bury a pre-formed liner. It is best to get your water from a natural pond. Pond plants grow better without the chlorine contained in tap water. If you can't get soil water, rainwater is also fine. Also install a fountain if space allows. The sound of cascading water is soothing and harmonizes with the plants for the garden pond.
In order to carry out regular maintenance and care, you should also install a pump. This allows you to move the water and avoid stagnation. For a garden pond, choose plants with a variety of textures and shapes. Roughly structured record sheets, for example, stand in sharp contrast to real papyrus. Corkscrew rush, horsetail and papyrus also have architectural shapes. In addition, vegetation would be a better option than flowers for a pond in the garden. It is also possible to calculate flowering times so that one plant flowers directly after another. However, an easier approach would be to provide continued visual interest by choosing pond plants with beautiful foliage that lasts longer.
What categories of pond plants are there?
There are five categories of pond plants. While some tend to perform well in larger ponds, all can be used in any size pond. Mix and match these categories to create a diverse, interesting ecosystem.
- Deep water plantsfor the pond: Plant such plants high and let the pots sink to the bottom of the pond.
- Submerged leaves: These plants grow completely underwater.
- Floating plants: Such plant varieties do not need soil, although their roots obtain nutrients from water.
- Edge plants: Their roots may or may not be in water.
- Moorpflanzen: They thrive in much wetter conditions than most plant species.
Red pitcher plant or pitcher plant for the pond
Sarracenia purpurea is an example of a bog plant and one of the best pond plants you can grow in a water feature. You can add any other plant to such bog plants in the same way, as these can be grown in the ground as plants around the garden pond as long as it is moist enough. However, if you want to plant pitcher plants around a shallow garden pond, you can also grow them in a pot and then place it in the water. The beauty of the pitcher plant is that it offers both interesting leaves and fantastic flowers.
Plant water lilies or water lilies in the garden pond
Water lily (Nymphaea) is another example of a deep-sea plant that is suitable for the garden pond. The lotus flower (Nelumbo) is similar to the water lily, but is a larger aquatic plant, making it more suitable for wider bodies of water. The adorable lily pads that come with it will be as important to your display as the flowers themselves. However, don't let these deep-water plants scare you when it comes to plant care.
Even in a small pond, you can still grow a water lily. There is a trick that can help you grow pond plants that need to grow in soil but have their roots underwater. Just don't add potting soil to the preformed liner to try to form an actual pond bottom. It is much easier to grow these water garden plants in pots.
The biggest challenge when planting a pond is not letting the dirt from the containers sink into the water, as this can contaminate it. Luckily, there are some steps you can follow to prevent such a problem. Don't use potting soil at first as it is too light and fluffy and doesn't want to stay submerged. Instead, opt for clay, which is a mixture of sand and clay. After you have placed plants in their pots for your garden pond, mulch with gravel or small gravel before placing the flower pots in the water.
Other swamp plants that are suitable for the garden pond
An overwintering horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) is a marsh plant that grows in masses and reproduces by aggressive rhizomes. This rush belongs to a different genus than the corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus). However, that is not the only difference between the two plants. The stems of the horsetail rush are just as perfect, as are the stems of the corkscrew rush, which are wonderfully crooked. However, due to their aggressive nature, do not grow these plant varieties in the ground if you have limited gardening space. Instead, grow such plants in pots.
The show leaves are also one of the pond plants that offer pretty flowers as well as leaves like the pitcher plant and in contrast to the rushes. If you are planting your garden pond but it is located against a house wall, such a backdrop can increase the viewing pleasure of the water garden. For example, try planting display leaves at the back of the pond. This is a good size perennial valued for its attractive, large and lush leaves. Such a bog plant creates a background that is in most cases far superior to a house wall.
Plant blue iris or swamp iris in the garden pond
Iris versicolor is a good example of a marginal plant that grows in both water and soil. To make these fringe plants thrive in a pond, you'll need to adjust the depth at which their pots sit in the water so you don't drown the swamp irises. In large ponds, shelves are built directly into the water to accommodate the edges. However, you can achieve the same thing in a small pond by resting the potted plants on bricks. Floating plants such as water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) are the easiest to incorporate.
If you still have space left on the surface of your pond after growing all of your other plants, you can fill that empty space with floating plants. Additionally, water hyacinth is an invasive plant that you should not dispose of in the wild. Using blue iris as a pond plant allows you to add floral color to your water garden. This also applies to the yellow variant (Iris pseudacorus), which is also invasive.
Grow perennials as plants on the garden pond
Some specimens of these pond plants straddle the boundary between the marginal and marsh plant categories. Certain bog plants can survive in some water, but edge plants often cannot thrive in it at all. An example is the papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus), which is also a marginal plant. The papyrus plant thrives when planted in some water. However, it can also be grown in the ground (or in a container) just as you would grow any other specimen, as long as you provide it with enough water.
Papyrus plants quickly attract attention and can therefore serve as the focal point of a water feature. If your plants get too big, you can divide them and replant one of the divisions on your garden pond. Use the other divisions elsewhere in the garden area. For example, some homeowners like to grow papyrus perennials in pots on a patio orBalcony garden in the city. Marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) are another option and bloom in mid-spring. They make wonderful border plants for water gardens in May and are perennials for sunny locations.
Tips for caring for pond plants
Garden owners who are fortunate enough to have large ponds can establish permanent plantings in their water features. However, you cannot overwinter plants in cold climates in really small garden ponds. You may have to accept losing your deep-water, submerged, and floating plants unless you have the space to grow them indoors during the winter.
To plan for next year, you can then buy plants again for your garden kingdom. Additionally, try transplanting border plants to the wettest parts of your property. If your winter is wet, you can let plants overwinter in your garden pond. You can also leave bog plants in place like any other perennial.
