| It is
important to choose the right combination of plants for
your pond, your pond plants not only help the visual
aspect of your pond they also provide a natural balance
in the water and can help in lowering maintenance.
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| There are four main groups of
aquatic & pond plants:
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| Deep-water
plants
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| Marginal
bog plants
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Floating plants
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| Submerged
plants
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| It is best to
avoid invasive plants such as Water mint (Mentha
aquatica) and Pond sedge (Carex riparia),
these plants soon swamp their neighbours even when
confined to a pond planting basket.
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| The best
time to plant a pond is mid-spring to early summer,
planting at any other time of year won't kill the plant
but you will have to wait until the following spring to
see any decent growth.
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| Submerged
plants are vital for the well-being of the
pond because they soak up excess nutrients
that may be in the water. Algae and blanket
weed thrive in ponds where nutrients are
easily accessible. Aquatic plants also
produce oxygen for fish and other aquatic
animals plus the plants are great hiding
places for small wildlife and spawning fish.
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| Marginal
plants that grow around the edge of ponds
produce height and colour as well as
offering havens for frogs and
newts. One of
the best is Sweet
Flag (Acorus calamus) see below. The Sweet Flag plant produces strap-shaped,
aromatic, bright green leaves that give off
a tangerine perfume when crushed. Another
good marginal that produces large leaves and
beautiful flowers is the Arum
lily (Zantedeschia). |
| Deep-water
aquatics like the Brandy
bottle (see
below)
and many types of Water
Lily (Nymphaea) are easy to grow and
there are lots to choose from. |
| Floating
plants provide colour and interest on the
water surface as well as providing that
essential shade to the pond thus preventing
the build of algae and blanket weed. |
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| One of the
most popular pond plants producing a wide variety of
colourful flowers surrounded by the world renowned lily
pad. Water lilies provide much needed shade cover to
stop algae turning your pond green. |
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Using a liner in the soil next to a pond will help to retain the
moisture that bog plants need and love. Ensure your bog garden
is situated at least 1ft away from your pond and at a lower
level as to prevent vital nutrients escaping from the bog into
the pond. |
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| Aquatic
plants available online... |
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