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This is Gail the Pond Plant Girl.
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BEGINNING POND PLANTS
 

 Where do you begin?

Q:  I'm looking into starting a water garden and I came across your site.  Water gardening seems easy but there is still very little info out there on it. As a beginner what are some very common water plants that I can find anywhere, (Home Depot, Lowes)? If the name of the plant has the word "water" in it, is it safe to assume it's a water plant?  Peter, Abundantwe.com 

A:  Just as there are several different kinds of gardens and climate conditions, there are several different kinds of ponds.  Pond can range from little to no plants (such as a large koi pond or swimming hole) to a small container the size of a large bowl or wine barrel.  It is tempting to run out to the hardware store and buy all the pond supplies and plants and throw it all together, but this is not necessary and is also very costly.  As an experienced water gardener, I have found that pond plants sold at the hardware store are not the healthiest out there.   

Things to Consider

► Your Climate Zone:  
 Will you be able to keep your garden year-round?  Will you need to overwinter your plants (bring them indoors) or will you need to purchase new plants each year?

► Koi Pond or Plant Pond? 
Do you want to have koi in your pond?  If so, they do not count on having any plants growing in the water.  This includes water lily.  Koi are like hogs and will eat absolutely everything!  If you want a plant pond instead, you will need to add mosquito fish, minnows, or feeder gold fish to control the mosquitoes and to fertilize the plants.

► Water Pump and Fountain or Natural Filtration? 
Water Fountains are certainly peaceful, but they do get clogged with plant and fish matter.  If you plan to have a pond with a fountain, then plan on some filtration maintenance; such as changing and cleaning the filters at least once per week during the growing seasons.  

► Algae WILL Happen
 Don't be alarmed... This is perfectly normal.  In the first year of pond maintenance algae will grow as the water, plants, and fish adjust to develop a balanced ecosystem.  Do keep the algae under control add an algae killer called "Green Clean" to the water. Any algae killer found in the koi section of the local pet store will also work just fine. 

So with this in mind, where do we start?
 For just starting out, I recommend that you start growing pond plants in either a half wine or whiskey barrel.  A child's wading pool also makes for an excellent and affordable option.  It can be placed in-ground or above ground.  The barrels are nice for limited space. The wading pool offers much more room for plant growth and an actual "garden."  The liners from the hardware store are small in comparison to a wading pool and are difficult to install in-ground due to their contoured shape.  Digging a hole and lining it with a pond liner is also an option, but for learning purposes we are aiming for simplicity.

Some good pond plants to buy are:  parrot feather, pennywort, water hyacinth, water lettuce, floating heart, and water poppy. Must have plants to promote water clarity and oxygenation are anacharis and a free floating pond plant such as water hyacinth or water lettuce.

DO NOT:  DO NOT toss your plants out in your garden with no maintenance!  Although they are beautiful, these plants can take over your garden like a weed!
     
Parrot Feather
(Myriophyllum aquaticum) Z6. 6". Feathery leaves grow densely around stem for several inches above water. Favorite for tub basin, draping gracefully over the edge. 		Pennywort Z6. Scalloped green leaves.  Eatable - Used for pain control. Moist soil to 1” of water. Jumbo Water Hyacinth Z9 Grows to 12" Prolific warm-weather plant. Pretty purple blooms. Good for spawning fish. Oxygenates and Clarifies the water.
African Water Lettuce Z9 Native to South Africa. Prolific - Grows to 12" diameter. Prolific in warm weather. Also makes excellent mulch. Good for spawning fish. Oxygenates and Clarifies the water. Floating Heart
(Nymphoides peltata) Z6. Small yellow flowers are delicate with fringed petals. Leaves are scalloped. Not sold in Washington state.		 Water Poppy
(Hydrocleys nymphoides) Z7. An exceptional aquatic for 6" to 18" of water. It produces oval, fleshy floating leaves and handsome golden 3-petalled flowers.
 
Most all pond plants are fairly easy to grow.  But if the plants you find says "water" in its title, it isn't necessarily a pond plant.  Please contact me if you have any specific questions about what plants can and cannot go in the water.  After you become comfortable with the simple plants listed above, then you can go on to other more exotic plants!

Some plants are available in April and all plants are available in March.  

To order pond plants please email me at:  gail@pondplantgirl.com  or fill out the e-order form at:  www.pondplantgirl.com/order-form.htm

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