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Advice on Pond Plants |
Water plants are a must when you have a pond. As well as looking beautiful, they will help your pond to blend in with the rest of the garden. They also provide breeding places for water wildlife, such as dragonflies, frogs and fish. By shading the water they help to control the temperature. Their roots absorb nutrients that might otherwise foul the water, and submerged oxygenating plants are the ponds very own ‘air conditioners’.
There are many different water garden plants for example there are waterside plants to shelter the pond, marginal flowers for the shallows, floating leaf, deep water plants, emergent plants and so on. Plants can be selected not only for their natural characteristics but also for the dramatic effect they bring to a previously dull water garden. Vegetation gives height, color and life to the scene. Plants can have a pleasant aroma, provide oxygen which is vital for all aquatic life (in the case of oxygenated plants) and provide food for the pond life.
Water plants are very sensitive and they flourish when they are planted in suitable conditions. The plants prefer a certain amount of sunlight, water, humidity and so on. Get this right and the plants will thank you by blossoming and creating the exact look you wanted.
Pond plants can be divided into 5 distinct groups.
1) Floating leaf plants: These plants float on the water surface, giving cover to fish and aquatic creatures.
2) Oxygenators or Aquatic plants: They produce bubbles of oxygen and clean the water.
3) Bog and moisture loving plants: These plants thrive in waterlogged soil and provide perfect cover for frogs and insects.
4) Emergent or marginal plants: Plants that flourish at the water's edge or in shallow water.
5) Backdrop plants: These plants compliment the water garden and include trees, bush and flowers.
Floating leaf plants
The leaves and flowers of these plants float gracefully on the water surface, while the roots trail or anchor into the mud at the bottom of the pond. Floating plants also provide shelter for animals and play a pivotal role in controlling algae in the pond. Water lilies are perhaps the most common plants in this group.
Aponogeton Distachyos (Water Hawthorn): A must for any pond. Blooms throughout the year, even on Christmas Day ! Unusual almond-scented flowers with evergreen elegant oval leaves. Ice will cut off flowers and leaves, but once it thaws, new ones soon grow to the surface.
Nymphoides Peltata (Floating Heart Lily): A miniature water lily. A good surface cover plant having a profusion of bright yellow flowers. Will tolerate moving water and shade.
Orontium Aquaticum (Golden Club)
Beautiful, yellow flower spears above velvety, dark green leaves. Can be grown as a marginal, or in deep water, but does best at a depth of 20cm.
Nymphaea Alba (White Water Lily): Vigorous native variety. Large white blooms. Only suitable for lakes or very large ponds.
Nymphaea Aurora (Orange Water Lily):
Widest colour range of any changeable - apricot through orange to burgundy. Stunning lily for a small to medium pond.
Aquatic plants
There is a close relationship between aquatic plants and floating leaf plants. The Aquatics differ from their counterparts in that their rooting systems dissolve and absorb nutrients. There are some aquatic plants that float as well but usually most of them are submerged. Aquatic plants are very useful in a pond as they clean it up in two ways.
Ceratophyllum Demersum (Hornwort):
Attractive native oxygenator. Sinks to the bottom of the pond in winter.
Elodea Canadensis (Canadian Pondweed)
Can be invasive. One of the most efficient of all oxygenating plants. Provides Winter cover for fish.
Hippurus Vulgaris (Mares Tail ): Shaped like a miniature "Monkey Puzzle" tree. Tolerates moving water and makes a good oxygenator. Evergreen.Can also be used as a marginal plant.
Lagarosiphon Major (Elodea Crispa): A good oxygenator but can be invasive.
Bog and moisture loving plants
Bog plants are water plants that flourish in waterlogged areas. They can be found on the fringes of natural ponds, lakes and streams. The bog plants need very wet conditions, with free moving water.
Juncus Effusus Spiralis (Corkscrew Rush):
Unusual twisted corkscrew stems. Everygreen
Cyperus Longus (Sweet Galingale):
Elegant tall grass with drooping foliage much sought after by flower arrangers. UK Native.
Pontederia Cordata (Pickerel weed):
Choice plant for any pond. Striking heart-shaped Leaves with blue delphinium-like flowers.
Saururus Cernus (Lizard's Tail):
Highly scented, long, fragrant, creamy pendulous flowers.
Houttuynia Cordata "Chameleon":
Striking red/yellow/green variegated leaves. Single white flowers.
Eriophorum Angustifolium (Cotton Grass):
Marsh grass with cotton wool-like seed heads. Evergreen. UK Native.
Emergent or marginal plants
Emergent water plants are also known as marginals and these are plants that are found along the edges of the water. The water plants thrive in shallow slow-moving water such as the water flowing in a pond. Emergent plants adore moist soil and can also survive periods of drought. The plants can also survive floods and this shows you how adaptable these aquatic plants are. Examples of marginals include Iris pseudacrus, Cyperus involucratus and Arum Lily.
Acorus Calamus (Sweet Flag):
Sweet scented rush with erect sword-like foliage. UK Native.
Caltha Palustris (Marsh Marigold):
Slightly serrated dark green leaves with bright yellow flowers. UK Native.
Equisetum Hyemale 'Affine':
Horizontally striped dark bamboo like stems.
Iris Laevigata:
Dark green foliage with rich blue flowers.
Iris Pseudacorus (Yellow Flag):
Vigorous with large bright yellow flowers. UK Native.
Backdrop Plants are essential for every water garden. Backdrop plants compliment the water garden and include trees, bush and flowers. They also provide shade and shelter for animals. They give us that privacy that we want when relaxing by the water garden. The backdrop plants have special characteristics that say a lot about the water garden, for example the Willow trees describe streams from England while the Maples speak about the Japanese water gardens. Your backdrop plants could include: Cyperus papyrus, Campanula latifolia, Dicksonia antarctia, Chusquea Culeou, Equisetum spp, Cimicifuga simplex, Eupatorium purpurem, Cornus alba "Sibrica".
Plants to Avoid
Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)
Parrots feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)
Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii)
Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)
Green seafingers (Codium fragile)
Curly waterweed (Lagarosiphon major)
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Carrickfergus Borough Council developed the Carrickfergus in Bloom initiative to brighten up the Borough,
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The Carrickfergus in Bloom initiative includes the Borough towns of Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Eden and Greenisland.
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