Clearly, a water garden requires plants that grow in water. There are a variety of these types of plants to choose from. There are floaters, which simply float on top of the water. They are also a good option in reducing algae formation in a water garden. Types of floaters include water hyacinth, and water lettuce. There are bog plants, which grow in shallow water. If you choose these plants make sure the water in the container doesn’t cover the soil. You can also place them on top of bricks or small rocks in your container to create a naturally shallow pool. Marginal plants are those plants, which like to be placed with 1 to 2 inches of their crown submerged under water. Some good choices for marginal pants include umbrella plants, rushes and papyrus, which do best when placed around the edges of a large container. Then there are deep-water plants like the beautiful and ever popular water lily. To grow these flowers successfully you will need an extra large container as they need to be submerged at least one foot of water above their root system. Water lilies will spread up to three feet or more so don’t put more than one in the same container. Water lilies are also a good choice in reducing algae growth. Whatever plants you select, do make sure that they all have similar light and growth requirements. Most will do well in partial sun/partial shady locations but do your homework before placing different plants together in the same environment. After you’ve selected the plants you’d like to use, fill your container with water and simply place potted plants inside your container…pots and all.
Extra Features
If your container is big enough you may want to consider adding some fish to your water garden. Fish add not only visual interest but also assist in maintaining a healthy ecosystem within the container by eating algae and mosquito larvae, often an unfortunate by product of any water feature. If you do decide to add fish, add them only after you’re plants have been established (about five weeks). Depending on the size of your container some good choices are guppies or goldfish.
Another option to add visual and auditory interest is to add a water pump. By placing a small pump in the bottom of your container and attaching it to a pipe and a fountain head you can circulate the water creating a very simple fountain feature. Since most water pumps run on electricity make sure you have access to an electrical outlet with a ground-fault circuit interrupter so as to avoid the risk of electrocution.