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Plants & Wildlife
The words "water garden" should create a colorful picture of a lushly planted aquatic landscape that's home to fish, frogs and an abundance of other aquatic life. It's probably safe to say that one of the main reasons people enjoy water gardens is the beauty and unique characteristics of the aquatic plants that are a part of them.
A water garden really isn't a "garden" without a variety of plants; and in most water gardens, there is always aquatic plants. There are numerous plants to add to the beauty of your water garden but the two most popular are as follows:
Water Lilies - Lilies are the most popular. Their ability to spread a multitude of beautiful leaves across the surface of the water and flowering throughout the season, make them the most desired addition to the pond. Lily pads also provide a great deal of shade from the heat of the summer sun, allowing fish to retreat underneath the shelter of their leaves. Lily leaves also enable algae control. When cold weather comes, the foliage dies and sinks to the bottom. New leaves will begin to arise from the submerged rhizomes the following spring.
Floating Plants - The floating aquatic plants are just that, they float on the water's surface while their roots hang down into the water below trapping sediment and utilizing many excess nutrients. These plants also provide shade for the pond water, making summer algae control easier.
Be sure to check out the "Aquatic Plants" page.
