Pond Plants Garden Nursery Landscaping Guide
Pond Plants For A Natural Look
By Rodger G Allenby
When you walk through wilderness areas, one thing you’ll notice
about natural ponds with lots of fish is that they also have a
lot of natural pond plants. If you’re thinking of adding a fish
pond to your garden, then that is one thing you will want to keep
in mind as you design it.
To keep the pond itself healthy, not to mention keeping the fish
alive, you will need to make sure that it’s stocked with plenty
of plant life. And you’ll also need to ensure that the plants
you set in your pond are the right type.
Fish Breathing Oxygen Generated By Your Plants
The first kind of pond plants to provide is a type that provides
oxygen. Plants like Anarchis or Cabomba are some examples, but
there are many more. What these plants do is to create oxygen
in the water that the fish can breathe.
They do this better than chemicals, although you can buy those
as well if you need them. The plants provide excellent fish pond
algae control as well, because they consume the nutrients that
algae would normally thrive on; the organic matter that is broken
down by the bacteria in the water.
Water Lilies On The Surface
Your pond design should include other types of plants as well,
and one of the most popular is water lilies. They root in the
soil at the bottom of the pond and their leaves and flowers trail
on the surface of the water.
These can be chosen for beauty and even to create partial shade
for fish, such as koi, that shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight.
At least 1/3 to 1/2 of the water surface should be left clear,
however.
You’ll need to research these pond plants to learn which species
grow best in the depth of water in your own pond. Gladstoniana,
for example, with its very large white blooms, can grow in deep
ponds, while Odorata Minor, with its star-shaped flowers, might
grow in a depth of 9-14 inches.
Choosing Your Plants For A Natural Look
Marginal plants, such as Iris, Marsh Marigold and Bog Primula
are pond plants that grow, as their name suggests, on the margins,
in shallow water and mud. They, too, can help provide shade, and
they can give your garden pond a more natural look.
As you create your own fish pond, remember that pond stocking
involves not just the choosing of fish but also the choosing of
plants that will enhance their environment. With the correct choice
of plants, your pond can be a healthy place for your fish to live,
and a beautiful thing for you to enjoy as well.
About the Author:
Rodger G Allenby has written a number of articles on gardening
and landscaping including Mum
Flowers, Table
Top Fountains, Garden
Supplies, Green
Lawn, Grass
Seed, Bird
Baths, Hummingbird
Feeders, Gardening
Tools, Backyard
Putting Green, Backyard
Ideas, Backyard
Landscaping Pictures, Outdoor
Fire Pit, Underground
Pet Fence, Backyard
Fences, Above
Ground Storage Tank, Enclosed
Porch.
Keep a lookout for more of his articles on this website.
Little Known Facts About Fish Ponds ....
How big are fish ponds?
The great thing about fish ponds is that
they can be as big or as little as you want them to be. It really
all depends on how much land you have to devote to the pond, how
much time you have to devote to maintaining it and how intricate
you want it to be.
Another big factor is cost. The bigger
ponds are obviously going to cost more to stock and dig whereas
small ornamental ponds may be relatively cheap depending on what
type of fish and aquatic life you wish to put into them.
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