WATER PLANTS
by Carolyn Weise
To bridge
the gap between the surrounding garden and the pond, use bog and
water-loving plants.
Water lilies do
nicely to shade the pond and expand the garden area. This also
serves to make the pond “part of” the garden rather than
something stuck in as an afterthought.
In the warm
seasons the floating plants can easily take-over. It is best to
have at least 1/3 of the pond surface uncluttered by plants. If
you have koi in your pond, plants probably won’t ever live long
enough to take over.
My experience
with the ever-favorite Iris Pseudocorus is that it doesn’t
belong in a pond. It does very well in dirt and won’t grow to
gargantuan proportions in a single season, which is generally
the case inside the pond. Outside the pond, the foliage doesn’t
overwhelm the small yellow flowers.
I personally
prefer striking foliage to pleasing flowers, so the water lilies
have mottled or bronze-colored leaves. When seeking
proportional-sized plants, steer clear of the larger water
lilies and lotus (yes, there are dwarf varieties of both) unless
you have lots of room.
I also suggest
bog gardens which are not located inside the pond. They can be
installed a few inches above the water surface where the water
enters from the filter return and flows over the edge and back
into the pond. This keeps koi out of the plants and
in the pond where they belong.
Fish swimming in
shallow areas such as a bog are much more vulnerable to
predators and predatory insects. Water celery works wonderfully
in a raised bog and will overflow the edge to soften the look of
the pond. The fish will keep it trimmed for you.
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Water Pond Plants
