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Water Plants

A garden really isn’t a “garden” without plants. In the case of a water garden, some of the plants had better be … aquatic plants.

The very appearance of the words “water garden” should conjure up a colourful 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.

Now we could start in a variety of places, but the crown jewel of water gardens is the lily, so that’s where we’ll start.

Lilies are the most popular aquatic plants. Their ability to spread a multitude of leaves across the surface of the water and flower throughout the season, make them a sought after 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.

Hardy Lilies

Hardy lilies come in a wide array of colours, shapes, and sizes. They are reliably perennial from the northern reaches of zone 3 to the sub-tropical areas of zone 11 of the extreme southern United States. Refer to a hardiness zone map to find out which zone you live in before purchasing plants. Each spring, their stems will begin to push the curled-up leaves to the surface of the pond.


Each floating leaf is cut into two lobes. Lily leaves provide a great deal of shade from the heat of the summer sun, making algae control easier, as well as allowing fish to retreat underneath the shelter of their leaves. The white, pink, red, or yellow flowers are often fragrant and known as the jewels of the water garden as they float on the surface. Hardy lilies typically bloom from May through September.

Water lily flowers usually open in the early morning, and close by mid to late afternoon. 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.

Tropical Lilies

Tropical lilies produce vibrant colourful blooms. The flowers, usually carried above the water surface on strong stems, come in brilliant whites, yellows, pinks, reds, and lilacs. Their leaves also come in an abundance of sizes, shapes, and colours.


Tropical lilies, only hardy to zones 10 and 11 can be planted in colder zones when the water temperature is consistently above 70° F. Most tropicals are treated as annuals each year in colder climates. However, they can be brought inside and over wintered if given proper care.

Tropical lilies come in two categories, day bloomers and night bloomers. Day blooming tropical lilies bloom in the early morning and close in the afternoon. Night bloomers, however begin to open in the late afternoon or early evening and continue to stay open until early the next morning. Night bloomers are very appealing to pond owners who work by day and enjoy their pond by night.

Lotus

Lotus have circular leaves that are held high above the water, and flowers that rise above the leaves with fragrant, beautiful blooms of yellow, pink, rose, red, or white. Even their seedpods are interesting, and are commonly used in dried flower arrangements. This is one plant you’ll want to keep in a pot, as it is highly aggressive.


Hardy Marginal Plants

Marginal plants are typically found along the perimeter of ponds, lakes, wetlands, and streams. These plants are used to soften the boulder edges and help create a smooth transition from the water in the pond to the terrestrial planting area surrounding the pond. Most marginal plants like 1” – 8” of water, making the first shelf in the pond, as well as edges of streams and upper pools, ideal planting areas.


Tropical Marginal Plants

The tropical marginal aquatic plants are those that originally grew in sub-tropical to tropical regions, and therefore are not perennial in cooler climates where frost and freezing are common during winter months. Stacking small cobblestones around the outside helps disguise the black pot.


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. Floating plants can be placed in the pond, but need to be situated out of the reach of the skimmer. Tucking floaters into the edges of the pond, or in and around lily pads can also help prevent the skimmer from drawing them in.


These plants also provide shade for the pond water, making summer algae control easier. Most are tropical, but a few are hardy perennials in climates with hard winter freezes. In more northern climates, the tropical floating aquatic plants should be treated as annuals, replanting them each year or taking them into a warmer place for the winter.

Hardy Oxygentating Plants

Oxygenators are often the most overlooked plants in the water garden. They are typically submersed and don’t grab the onlooker’s attention like the lilies and marginal plants do. These submerged plants are important allies in creating a well-balanced water feature.


Oxygenators help reduce algae by directly competing for the same food source. Think of them as nutrient sponges. They also provide protection and coverage for small fish. They can be planted by simply pushing a bundle right into the gravel or sticking them around the edges of a lily pocket.