Lily Pond | Waterlilies marginals and other aquatic plants

A lily pond once seen is never forgotten.

It's time to get your own lily pond. Lower down on this page is information on water lily plants and other aquatic plant types as well as images of aquatic plants you can buy.

A lily pond is easy to build since they do not like running water and therefore waterfalls are normally not installed. A lily pond also needs somewhat deeper water. Since a water lily pond is normally planted with other water plants that enjoy different levels of planting then liner ponds designs are ideal.

A lily pond using a pondliner is able to be designed to suit larger volumes and irregular or regular shapes with as many planting shelves as required. Calculating irregular shaped ponds is easily achieved using the FREE pond calculators which you get when you buy any one of my books ... click the link to see the books about water gardening and pond keeping.

planting lily pond

The diagram opposite shows how a water lily pond might look in cross section - notice shelves for planting and notice these are at different depths to suit different aquatic plants. Some of these pond plants float and others oxygenate the lily pond water

To create your water lily pond using pond liner simply dig the hole to suit your requirements. Remember to include all the planting shelves you want and vary their widths as well as depths.

Once the hole for your lily pond is complete ensure the base is covered with newspaper, fine sand, old carpet or similar materials to prevent sharp stones coming into contact with the rubber or plastic material. Continued below next table...

Where to buy pond plants on-line at good prices

Image	Link to Plant at Store
	Dwarf Cattail: Typha minima is perfect for small water garden ponds and containers such a half barrel tubs. This dwarf cattail grows to less than 2' tall, making it extremely well suited to small garden ponds or container gardens! Distinctive rounded brown seed heads sit atop blue-green foliage. Even survives very low temperatures! Click to buy
	King Tut Papyrus: Cyperus papyrus 'King Tut'. An ideal water garden marginal or bog garden plant. King Tut Papyrus is an outstanding aquatic for use in your garden pond! King Tut Papyrus is also known as the umbrella plant because of its eye-catching green bracts bend over. King Tut Papyrus will grow well in both full sun or partial shade. This aquatic plant can be planted directly into water or rich, moist soil (bog). The plant is hardy down to 25 degrees F. It can be taken indoors for the winter. Click to Buy
	Sweet Flag Water Grass: Acorus calamus. Sweet Flag Water Grass is a popular water grass that has long narrow leaves. The leaves have a strong sweet smell when crushed in the hand. The iris-like foliage is dramatic in ponds or for edging around pots. Sweet Flag Water Grass sports yellow-green flowers in summer. Shade tolerant and hardy in zones 4-11. Click to Buy
	Iris:, Louisiana 'Black Gamecock': The Louisiana 'Black Gamecock' Iris is one of the most adaptable Irises that can grow under almost any condition. This plant is a native of wetlands and can be grown in water gardens. Fortunately for most of us, the Louisiana 'Black Gamecock' Iris is easily adaptable to normal growing conditions. Huge, 4" velvety-black blooms surround yellow markings. Grows to 24". Zones 4-10. Click to Buy.
	Juncus 'Big Twister': Unique twisting and turning upright spirals! One of a kind grass loves to be planted in wet soil conditions. Makes a perfect addition to water gardens. Can be planted in shallow water (up to 6" deep). Prefers hot, sunny conditions. Grows 18-24". Click to Buy.
	Houttuynia, The chameleon plant : Houttuynia cordata "Chameleon"... Here's your opportunity to grow something your friends and neighbors don't already have. Only recently have there been quantities sufficient enough to offer it to customers. The Houttuynia has exotic, chameleon-shaped leaves -- a bright blend of greens, bronze, and yellows. It has white flowers in early summer. Grows 6 to 9 inches. The Houttuynia is a brightly colored plant that is very popular in the Orient. It is easy to grow. Thrives almost anywhere. Order this Oriental beauty with its rainbow coloring and easy grow ability today!. Click to Buy
	Globeflower: Trollius chinensis 'Golden Queen' ... A colorful waterside addition! Extremely large, golden-orange buttercup summertime flowers make Golden Queen an outstanding perennial. Plants are excellent for waterside areas or bog gardens. Can be planted in other areas as long as it is kept constantly moist. Grows to 30" tall Prefers sun to partial shade. Zones 3-7. Click to Buy.
	Marsh Marigold: Caltha palustris. Excellent pond plant too! Marsh Marigold produces beautiful masses of flowers that resemble double marigolds from mid-spring through early-summer. An excellent planting at the edge of a pond. Can also be planted in water at a depth of no more than 4". Requires full sun. Zones 3-10. We send number one plants. Click to Buy.
	Water Lily Collection: These water lilies were specially chosen for their superior qualities of hardiness, vivid color and long blooming season. They will provide your pond with color all summer long for many years. All four varieties are winter hardy to -30 degrees and can remain in ponds during the winter where the water does not freeze to the level of the plant. They are easily stored for winter in colder climates. All bloom from June to September. Water depth for all varieties is 18-24". Planting instructions included. This collection includes 1 each of Yellow, White, Pink and Red water lilies. Click to Buy.
	Water Lily, Red: Nymphaea ' Attraction' ... Specially chosen for their superior qualities of hardiness, vivid color and long blooming season. House of Wesley's Water Lilies will provide your pond with color all summer long for many years. All varieties are winter hardy to -30 degrees and can remain in ponds during the winter where the water does not freeze to the level of the plant. They are easily stored for winter in colder climates. All bloom from June to September. Water depth is 18-24". Click to Buy.
	Water Lily, Yellow: Nymphaea ' Sulphurea'... Specially chosen for their superior qualities of hardiness, vivid color and long blooming season. House of Wesley's Water Lilies will provide your pond with color all summer long for many years. All varieties are winter hardy to -30 degrees and can remain in ponds during the winter where the water does not freeze to the level of the plant. They are easily stored for winter in colder climates. All bloom from June to September. Water depth is 18-24". Summer splash of creamy yellow flowers that stay open much later in the afternoon than other varieties. Cup shaped flowers measure 2-6" across. Very free flowering. "> Click to Buy.
">	Water Lily, White: Nymphaea 'mariacea Albida'... Top performer in the water! Specially chosen for their superior qualities of hardiness, vivid color and long blooming season. House of Wesley's Water Lilies will provide your pond with color all summer long for many years. All varieties are winter hardy to -30 degrees and can remain in ponds during the winter where the water does not freeze to the level of the plant. They are easily stored for winter in colder climates. All bloom from June to September. Water depth is 18-24". Click to Buy.
	Water Lily, Pink: Nymphaea 'Fabio'... Specially chosen for their superior qualities of hardiness, vivid color and long blooming season. House of Wesley's Water Lilies will provide your pond with color all summer long for many years. All varieties are winter hardy to -30 degrees and can remain in ponds during the winter where the water does not freeze to the level of the plant. They are easily stored for winter in colder climates. All bloom from June to September. Water depth is 18-24". Once this pink beauty starts to bloom, it doesn't stop. Selected because it usually blooms with several flowers at one time. Slightly fragrant. Click to Buy.

Refer to the page on pond liners to calculate size of pond liner required to give you the correct size lily pond. Once the liner has been laid the pond edging would need to be finished off in your preferred way using stone, slate, brick or even wood. When you are ready to plant your lily pond just follow the links above.

The essential ingredients, aquatic plants for ponds

There are a several sorts of plant to choose from that will be used to plant out different levels or depths in the pool. There needs to be a representative selection of plants from each type to help with the balancing act in the pool, and as each type of plant takes up its role in the new environment they will provide a welcome home for any fish you subsequently add to your pool.

The most essential ingredient is the OXYGENATING PLANT.

These are underwater plants that will provide oxygen during the day for the fish and other animals in the pool but also for the bacteria at the bottom of the pool. These are integral to the whole ecology of the pool and without them the pool would just fill up with dead plant material and fish muck very quickly. They need to have a source of oxygen 24 hours a day. These bacteria digest waste organic matter and dead algae converting them into simple compounds like nitrates that the plants in the pool, including the oxygenators, can take up for their own nutrition and growth.

The best and most efficient oxygenator is without doubt Laragasiphon major, otherwise known as Elodea crispa or Curly Pond weed.

Some folks claim that it is too rampant, but it only grows if there is the enough sustenance created within the pond. It is easily kept under control, with a bit of judicious harvesting.

Most oxygenators are generally sold in bunches of five cuttings. Just push these into a small container of gravel to keep them in place then sink them to a level of roughly half a metre. Allow one bunch per 0.2 sq m (2 sqft) of pool surface. The cuttings will produce roots for anchorage as soon as they begin to grow and nutrients will be absorbed all over the surface of the plant. In hard water, a limey sediment precipitates itself onto the leaves. This should be gently brushed off to allow the leaves to function uninhibited.

Avoid certain plants, in particular Hydrocotyle vulgaris (Marsh Penny Wort), Myriophyllum proserpiacoides (Parrots Feather), Elodea Canadensis (Canadian Pond weed),

Next in importance are the deep water aquatic plants and water lily varieties

These are mostly water lilies, Nymphaea. Available in virtually every colour of the rainbow, the larger varieties remove a lot of excess nutrients in the pond water. They also come in all sizes suitable for growing at specific depths from 6ins to 6ft (15cm to 180cm). Try to get a variety that is suitable to the size and depth of your pool and allow one lily for every 2.3 sq m (25 sqft) of pool surface.

They need to be planted into large aquatic baskets in a heavy clay loam, but only at half their final depth to begin with. Gradually introduce them to deeper water as their leaves get established on the surface. Be aware that generally, the cheaper water lilies are, the more vigorous they are. But even the most vigorous types will need a feed of slow release fertiliser or bonemeal pellets to get them going. They can be planted at any time from late spring onwards, as long as there is strong growth from a strong plant. Weaker specimens need to be nurtured on later in the season.

Keep them away from fountains and waterfalls as disturbed or flowing water upsets their growth.

Other deep water babies are the amazing Aponogeton distachyos or water hawthorn and the various forms of Nuphar lutea or brandy bottle plant. Owners of small ponds or clay lined ponds beware of the latter.

FLOATING PLANTS.

These float on the surface of the pool throughout the summer helping control algae by depriving them of light and using up their mineral resources. Native species like the Stratiotes aliodes or water soldier and the Hydrocotyle ranae (Frogbit) over-winter in various forms on the bottom of the pool. Species like the water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) and the water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) are frost tender and need to be over-wintered under glass.

Be wary of any relatives of the duckweed including the floating fern Azolla coronilla. They make great duck food but very quickly and irretrievably cover the pool if there are no ducks to keep things under control.

Whatever you choose, there is no ceremony in planting them. Just put them in. If they sink to the bottom they will soon sort themselves out.

MARGINAL PLANTS

Marginal plants come in all shapes and sizes. They generally sit at the edge of the pool with the water lapping more or less at soil level. Some plants do revel in a depth up to 15cm as in the case of the Menyanthes trifoliata (bog bean) or Iris pseudacorus (the flag Iris) which makes some people like to classify some of the plants as deep water marginals, but these plants are generally tolerant of any depth and will grow out to the deeper depth anyway.

Marginal plants have the dual function of softening the edges of the pool area and using up the mineral resources in the pool. They provide secure cover for wildlife and act as a jetty for the activities of wildlife in and around the pool. Early spring colour, the beauty of them in reflection and their often striking foliage also help make them an essential ingredient for the water garden.

Allow at least one plant for every 0.5sq m (5 sqft). Plant them in aquatic baskets and place them in groups of the same variety in larger pools. In smaller pools, I am not sure that having more than one species in one basket works, certainly not in the long run. One of them always seems to win out over all the others.

Beware of what you choose, if there were ever any hooligans in the plant world, then a good number of them would be found amongst the plants often sold as marginal plants. For owners of smaller pools, be particularly cautious in choosing some of the larger and indigenous marginal plants like Typha (Reed Mace), Scirpus (Bulrush), Phragmites australis (Norfolk Reed).

Take a look at Peter May's Perfect Pond Recipe book .... available by download or print and full of self explantory sketches

The UK Pond Doctor and pondkeeping answers site all about koi and koi ponds this massive and growing information site contains expert advice on all matters related to koi pond keeping

Peter May's new website is called Pond Solutions ... Peter is an exceptionally gifted landscaper, artist, illustrator and author. Unlike so many he has done it all himself and many times so he knows the real hassles and how to solve any pond problem

I have read your book with interest and have found it most interesting. I wish I had read it before constructing my pond Gordon Powell, seaview@scottburgh.co.za

I read your book cover to cover last night ., Excellent, this is just what I was looking for. It is hard to find such a comprehensive collection of information in one place. I have been searching the web for about 4 months. Brett Salavoy, Brett.Salovy@za.didata.com

Trout ponds are different