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.
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:
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.
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.
Koi love pond plants. They especially love to eat pond plants. But, there’s hope. Here are a few of our favorite tricks for keeping koi and aquatic plants in your backyard pond. Whatever you try, remember that every koi is different. These tricks have fooled our koi, but that doesn’t mean they will fool your koi too.
Create a koi-free zone for your water plants. Use chicken wire or heavy plastic netting to fence off an area of your pond, creating a koi-free safe zone for your pond plants. Take time to ensure that there are no holes or weak points where your koi can slip through. For best results, allow the fencing material to extend above the water’s surface an inch or two. Finally, be careful to use heavy gauge netting or fencing — the fine bird netting could catch and tangle your fishes’ fins.
If you have the space, you can take this idea one step further, and actually construct a second pond for your plants. A small pond sited above your koi pond will keep your plants safely away from the koi, and will also give you the opportunity to incorporate a waterfall or stream into your backyard water garden.
Grow koi safe pond plants. Koi will eat almost anything, but thick-stemmed water plants are generally pretty safe. Lotus, umbrella palm, cattail and other sturdy reeds and rushes can often withstand their hungry assaults. Less-aggessive koi may even let you grow water lilies. Some koi will dig up pond plant roots, so you may want to protect your plants by covering their pots with thick wire or heavy stones.
