Making a List for Spring© Marie A. Miczak
Feb 29, 2004
For those who have yet to experience the joys of water gardening now is the perfect time
to start planing. You may wish to start out small with a tub garden to get your feet wet or
you may have bigger ideas. Which ever is the case now certainly is the time to get that
pen and paper out. Too many would be ponders neglect to properly plan out their water
garden(s). Unlike a regular flower bed, water gardens can be more permanent and harder
to remove or make big changes to. Also it has to be taken into consideration how your
pond will impact wildlife. Your water garden can be a jewel when it comes to attracting
birds, butterflies and other forms of nature. Another thing frequently forgotten is the
gardening aspect of ponding. Not only will you want to fill your pond with
beneficial plants in order to reduce algae but you'll also want to landscape around your
pond. A few hostas, day lilies and decorative grasses can really increase your ponds
attractiveness to wildlife. Unfortunately many do not properly budget in the cost of
aquatic plants and end up going without. Aquatic plants typically cost more and can be
harder to find compared to land plants. They are a must if you want your pond inhabited
by goldfish or frogs. There are a number of commercial websites as well as catalogs with prices and pictures of
aquatic plants. Take the time to go through them to determine what will best fit your
needs. Remember tropical plants will typically be sold later in the year locally if you live
in a cold climate. To get around this you can mail order the plants you wish and keep
them in your heated basement or garage until the water temperature is stable (usually this
means the 70's F). If you find you won't have enough money to build a pond and have a
lush garden atmosphere consider doing plant trades. The key is the word trades.
If you have land plants such as flowers, saplings, houseplants or other tradable items visit
a popular site such as Gardenweb to make some connections. Restrictions of plants
for postage seem to be tightening so try to make an honest trade instead of asking for
plants. You also can see what your neighbors might have to offer. Many times ponders
form an instant bond and they love to enable others to become addicted as well. Plants
such a geraniums, spider plants, strawberry plants, taro, tomatoes, watercress, lucky
bamboo and others love to have wet feet and can grow in your pond well. Gardenweb
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