How to Decorate With Shade Loving Pond Plants

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If you have a koi pond you know these fish need shade. As in nature, these plants, which can be planted in pots or in the edge of the soil near the bank of the pond thrive in shady areas. Many of these plants seem to give the illusion of growing half in and half out of the water. Planting them is a great way to conceal the plastic edge of your prefabricated pond liner.

Aquatic Mint -This plant grows up to two feet tall and makes an excellent ground coverage. Warning: although it is almost foolproof to grow it spreads like wildfire.

Aquatic Morning Glory -This plant’s flowers appear in summer. It grows to ten feet and is known to creep along a bank or trail in the water.

Arrow Arum -This plant, whose leaves resemble arrowheads grows to a height of two feet

Black Magic Taro -This taro’s foliage is very a very dark green, and almost black. It is often found in classic Japanese gardens. It can grow up to six feet tall so it can be used disguise a large external pond filter at the water’s edge.

Cardinal Flower -This plant’s bright red flowers appear in summer. It does alright in shade and grows to three feet tall.

Corkscrew Rush -This plant has coiled foliage that grows up to two feet tall.

Chameleon Plant -This small plant which boasts multicolored leaves grows to the height of one foot.

Crushed Ice (Crushed Ice) -This plant will grow to 24”, it flowers in spring but has beautiful very light green and dark green foliage. It is hardy in zones 4-11.

Golden Club -This short plant has velvety furry leaves and sports long yellow spikes in the summer.

Imperial Taro -The heart shaped taro leaves are purple and green. It grows four feet.

Lizard’s Tail -This plant grows to 36”. Its white flowers appear in spring & last through summer. It is hardy zones 4-10.

Parrot’s Feather -This soft feather-like plant floats over the water and grows to two or three feet high.

Pickerel Rush -This plant has heart shaped foliage. Spiky blue or white flowers appear in summer.

Sensitive Plant – Children love this one because it’s leaves shrink when it is touched. Small yellow flowers appear in summer. It grows up to six feet tall.

Water Pennywort -This umbrella shaped spreading reaches a height of one foot.

Umbrella Palm -This classic water garden tree grows up to five feet tall. It is a common sight in traditional Japanese water gardens.

Happy planting!

Decorating a Pond With Water Lilies

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Water lilies are one of the most popular pond aquatics because they are colorful, easy to care for, and highly fragrant. Tropical water lilies come in day-blooming and night-blooming varieties. They have larger, more-fragrant blossoms than hardy lilies, come in more colors, and bloom more often — usually every day for the entire blooming season. In northern areas, they bloom later in the season. They can be placed in the water garden when the temperature reaches 65F at night and 75F during the day and grow best in 10 to 12 inches of water. Unless stored, they die when frost occurs. Most gardeners store them in a greenhouse pond over winter or treat them as annuals and replace them every year.

There are a great many types of water lily, from the huge, spectacular, Amazonian ones several feet across, to the more humble White water lily (Nymphaea alba) which is native to Britain They prefer perfectly still water, so vigorous fountains, waterfalls and streams are out. The main reason they prefer this is that rapid currents keep water temperatures too low.

To grow at their best, water lilies prefer to be in some kind or container, or basket, and grow in nice rich soil containing lots of organic matter. When you purchase your water lilies from the nursery, they should come complete with the necessary plastic slitted growing basket. If not, these are readily available from most garden centers, or water garden specialists. These containers are especially useful as they will float and still contain the necessary rich compost.

However the most glorious water lilies are the tropical and hardy varieties. One plant will multiply to blanket an area of four to six feet. They are exceptional because they bloom both day and night.

Lilies should be planted in pots at least 10″ in diameter. Follow this advice because the smaller your container, the smaller your blossoms will be.

Before submersing the tuber in the pond, fill a play or plastic pot half full of loam garden soil (if it is not already sold to you in a pot) and two to four fertilizer tablets (also usually sold with the plant.) Top off the pot with the rest of the soil. Set the tuber upright, with the tip exposed. It is the roots that need to be buried in the soil.

Once you have set the tuber correctly, sprinkle an inch or two of pea gravel or sand on top to prevent soil from escaping when the pot is submerged. Be careful not cover the top of the tuber with this gravel or sand or it won’t grow.

The plant can now be lowered into the water to a depth of approximately 6 inches over the crown of the water lily. As the plant grows, it can be lowered to a depth of 12 inches.