Plant a pond for an aesthetic & useful ecosystem

Of course, if you build a pond, that's not all. In order for the natural pond to look as natural as possible, it is important that you design it all around. And this not only includes designing the banks of the garden pond with a variety of grasses, flowers and stones, but also the pond plants, or rather the aquatic plants for the garden pond. In this article we would like to give you some tips on how and with which plants you canPlant the pondand design garden ponds. Choose the right bank plants and decorate the water with garden pond aquatic plants.

Plant the pond depending on the zone

The planting of the garden pond is important so that a perfect ecosystem can be guaranteed. But so that you can plant the pond, you should first know that it is divided into different zones. Different types of plants are needed for each zone. On the one hand there is the riparian zone and on the other hand there is the swamp zone and water zone.

Plant a pond in the bank zone

Planting a garden pond on the bank is relatively uncomplicated. It is best to choose undemanding plants. These primarily include grasses, which also provide a certain texture and structure. Choose bamboo (Phyllostachys and Pseudosasa), pampas grass or miscanthus. The bamboo has very strong roots that can damage the pond liner. OneRoot barrieris therefore strongly recommended.

Lush planting

These plants feel very comfortable in both sun and partial shade. Winter doesn't bother them either. The pampas grass in particular must then be tied together and the roots covered with a thick layer of leaves. You can also plant these plants around the garden pond:

Common lady's mantle for the shore

– Loosestrife
– Fieberklee
– Juggler's Flower
– Common lady’s mantle
– Laugenblume
– Lungwort
– Meadowsweet

Flowering bank plants – magnificent spars

- mammoth leaf
– Magnificent muscle
– Schaublatt
– Sumpfcalla
– Sumpfdotterblume
– Sumpfgladiole
– Swamp horsetail
– Swamp forget-me-nots

Swamp zone

The swamp zone is the area of ​​the pond where the water is no more than 20 centimeters deep. This area serves as a transition from land to water, or rather, deep water. You should definitely think about such a zone when you create a garden pond because it is important for the ecosystem. Suitable plants are the calamus or the frog spoon. Too dense planting should be avoided. Follow the rule that says no more than 2 to 3 plants should be planted per square meter. Other plants for the swamp zone:

Arrowhead as a swamp plant

– Pikeweed
– The hedgehog flask
– Cardinal Lobelia
– Arrowhead
– Cattails
– Swan flower

Flowering planting

– Swamp iris
– Tannenwedel
– Pond Horsetail
– I'm sorry
– Wasserlobelie
– Tongue buttercup
– Dwarf cattails

Plant deep water

If you would like to plant this area of ​​the pond yourself and thus design the garden pond, you have the choice between different types. On the one hand there are floating plants and on the other hand there are submerged plants. The deep water zone should be 30 to 60 cm deep so that the selected aquatic plants can feel comfortable.

Submerged plants

As the name suggests, these plants are species that live almost exclusively under water. Only the flowers appear on the surface of the water. But there are also species that also bloom under water. The stems of these underwater plants either float freely in the water or are rooted underground and these plants absorb their nutrients with the help of the leaves.

Protection against algae

In this way, you remove the nutrients from the unwanted algae, which counteracts mass spread. As you can see, you can protect against algae if you create a garden pond with such plants. These plants are important because they supply the garden pond with a lot of oxygen. If you want to plant this type of aquatic plants in the pond, you can choose these specimens:

Water Star

– Mixed pondweed
– Comb pondweed
– Curly pondweed
– Large mermaid herb
– Canadian Waterweed
– Whorl-leaved milfoil
– Rough hornwort
– Blunt-edged water star
– Swamp Pond Thread
– Water feather

Water feathers as pond plants

Although these plants are usually rooted in the ground, they can also be planted in a container and then left in the water. To ensure that this bucket stays on the ground, it is weighted down with stones. The soil should consist of clay and peat or sand. Fertilizer should also be added. Simply place the plants in the water. They float there for a while until they get settled.

Floating plants

Floating plants have the property that their leaves float on or directly under the surface of the water. In addition, the roots are not anchored in the ground. Instead, they root in the soil substrate. It follows that the popular water lilies that are used are not floating plants.

Choose flowering floating plants

The floating plants do not get their nutrients from the earth or the ground, but rather extract them from the water. To do this, they use either the roots or special leaves. Most species also adapt to winter and survive it without any problems. Nevertheless, inquire about suitable specimens. Here are some popular floating plants you can use:

Frog bite as a water lily replacement

– Humped duckweed
– Three-furrow duckweed
– Dwarf duckweed
– Multi-rooted duckweed
– Frog bite
– Crab claws
– Schwimmfarn
– Sternlebermoos
– Water Nut
– Water hose

Plant the garden pond with water lilies

Water lilies are plants that almost every garden pond is missing. They are, so to speak, the queens of aquatic plants. And the selection is really big. Apart from the two classic, native varieties, the water lily Nymphea alba and the water lily Nuphar lutea, you also have the choice between various exotic varieties, some of which also survive the winter in water. The colors are numerous and range from white to yellow to pink, violet, blue and pink, so you can plant the pond as you wish.

How and when to plant the pond?

The best time is spring and more specifically the period between March and June. The high number of hours of sunshine and the warmer temperatures help the plants grow better. This period is preferable for all pond zones. The pond should only be half full at this point and only be refilled after planting.

From the deep to the shallow

Furthermore, planting pond plants should be done in a specific order. What this means is that you start with the deepest point, i.e. in deep water. From there you can slowly work your way towards the bank and plant the pond there.