|
Catfish Logic's Blog: Notes from a Backyard Water Garden
thoughts, tips and observations on pond plants and water gardening
April 29, 2009
 Four leaf water clover is a fun and playful ground cover that will love the boggy areas of your yard. It’s raining in Virginia today, and the water is beginning to puddle in the low areas around our property. You probably notice the same thing in your yard — just about every lawn or garden has a low area that gathers water and grows puddles when it rains. Maybe the puddle lasts for days, and the soil always seems a little soggy? If so, don’t fight it. You’ve got the perfect place to plant marginal pond plants, which thrive in shallow water or boggy soil.
Marginal pond plants — also called bog plants — include many of our favorite choices for bright flowers or dramatic foliage. If you want flowers, try any of our iris or canna lilies. Elephant ear (also known as taro) are a great choice for dramatic foliage, and pitcher plants and fly catchers make excellent conversation starters. But these are just a few of your options for your soggy, boggy, puddle-filled lawns. As you browse our selection of marginal plants, be sure to check the planting depth in the plant description. Any plant that specifies a depth of 0 inches, or moist or dry soil, will do great.
With a little creativity you can turn a puddle-prone eye-sore into a thriving and low maintenance bog garden. Need more encouragement? With your plants growing there, you’ll never again accidentally step in that puddle!
Tags: bog plants, marginal plants
Posted in In the Water Garden, Maintaining Your Water Garden | No Comments »
April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day! Is there a better way to celebrate Earth Day than outside, in the garden? Flowers are wonderful. Herbs and vegetables are delicious. But, water gardens and pond plants — and the frogs and dragonflies they attract — are our favorite. Not into ditch digging? No problem. Container water gardens are easy and fun. Assuming you already have a water-proof container, you can install a container water garden in an afternoon.
- Select a location. Container water gardens can go just about anywhere you like, indoors or out. But, no matter where you choose, you’ll want a spot that is fairly level. Full-sun is best, but part-shade will be fine for many aquatic plants.
- Pick your container. Glazed pots are an easy choice, but anything that holds water will work. One of the best container water gardens I ever saw was in an old claw-foot bath tub. Be creative and have fun.
- Water-proof the container. If you aren’t sure about water-tightness, simply fill the container with water and let it sit a day or two. Use water-proof putty or epoxy (available at any hardware store) to seal any cracks or drainage holes. Let dry overnight.
- Place and level the container. Remember, water always levels itself. So unless you want an off-tilter look, you’ll want your container sitting as level as possible. Use flat stones, pebbles or dirt to level the base. For best results, use a carpenter’s level.
- Add gravel, pebbles or soil (optional). If you want the hide the bottom of the container, now is the time to add your bottom substrate. Be creative: sand, gravel, pebbles, marbles and more will all work. This is also a great time to add larger decorative rocks or stones.
- Add a pump, filter or fountain (optional). Generally, pumps and filters are not necessary for small container gardens. But, the effect of moving water can be very pleasing. If you enjoy the sound of moving water, or want to add a small fountain, then now is the time to add the pump. Pumps are also a good idea if you want to keep a few fish.
- Prepare your plants. If you haven’t already, pick out some fun pond plants for your container water garden. Almost any water plant will thrive in a container. If your plants are bare-root, just trim their roots and pot them in plastic pond plant containers. Garden soil works fine. If your plants are already potted, simply check to see if their roots are growing out of the container. If they are, you may want to repot them in a larger container. Visit our website for a few more tips on potting your pond plants.
- Add your plants. Most aquatic plants want to be set 4 to 12 inches below the surface, although lilies and lotus are happy in deeper water too. If the container is deep, you can add bricks or stones to support the plants, bringing their pots closer to the surface.
- Add water. Slowly fill the container, being careful to avoid tipping your plants or disturbing the substrate.
- Enjoy!
Today’s post is also available at polka dot suitcase, a great blog about finding fun in everyday life.
Tags: container water garden
Posted in In the Water Garden, Maintaining Your Water Garden | 1 Comment »
April 18, 2009
Every pond-owner dreams of a full-sun water garden, but some of our ponds are shaded. No need to fret: there are plenty of pond plants that thrive in part-shade and full-shade conditions. Here are ten of our favorites:
-
 Arc-en-Ciel water lily Arc-en-Ciel Water Lily. Most water lilies want full sun, and will sulk and waste away if they don’t get what they want. But, Arc-en-Ciel is a lovely lily that is perfectly happy in the shade. The pale pink flowers and striking mottled leaves will brighten up any shaded pond. Rembrand water lilies, chromatella water lilies, odorata water lilies, Joey Tomocik water lilies, Texas dawn water lilies and Colorado peach water lilies are also happy in part shade.
- Horsetail Rush. If you want something different, horsetail rush is the plant for you. The rigidly vertical leaves are ridged and regularly jointed, and provide an excellent backdrop for more delicate pond plants. And, if you are looking for a conversation starter: horsetail rush’s relatives were around in the days of the dinosaurs. Read our full post on horsetail rush for more information.
- Blue Pickerel Reed. Brighten up any shady spot with these lavender-blue flowers and tropical-green leaves. A North American native, blue pickerel reed will thrive just about anywhere. And, if white flowers are more your style, try white pickerel reed.
- President Canna Lily. Add a bold splash of red to your shaded area with the President canna lily.
-
 black magic taro Black Magic Taro, aka Black Magic Elephant Ear. All the taros and elephant ears are happy in the shade. In fact, these playful plants are happiest with a little protection from the hot sun. Every taro is a good choice, but the purple-black leaves of black magic taro makes it our favorite.
- Lizard’s Tail. This American native will quickly establish in shaded areas, filling in dark corners and providing a great background for other plants. The white flower stalks are present on lizard’s tail throughout most of the summer. Read our full blog post on lizard’s tail for more information.
- Cardinal Flower. This isn’t just another red flower. Cardinal flower is a favorite of hummingbirds, and is a great way to attract these delightful birds to your pond and garden.
-
 white rain lily White Rain Lily, aka White Fairy Lily. These crocus-like white flowers bloom in the summer, long after your crocuses have disappeared for the year. White rain lily doesn’t like to be too wet, and will do best in moist soil and very shallow water.
- Four-Leaf Clover. You’ll feel lucky all year round with four-leaf clover growing in your pond. This playful ground cover does best in shallow water, and will even establish in moist to dry soil.
- Mondo Grass. Fill in the edges of your pond with mondo grass, a low-growing shade-lover that prefers soggy to dry soil. An excellent choice for softening the edges of your pond, and hiding the water line.
Posted in Pond Plant Profiles | 6 Comments »
|
|
