![Seed pods can be more exciting than flowers. Check out the otherwordly quality of Gray's Sedge. with a backdrop of Lizard's Tail. [Carex grayii and Saururus cernuus]](images/Carex%20grayii%20and%20Saururus%20cernuus.gif)
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Aquatic Plants There are four main categories of aquatic plants for your pond or bog: Marginals: plants that are happy to grow in damp soil to up to 12" of water over the crown of the plant. Each species of plant has it's own requirements for depth of water. These plants will naturalize the edge of your water feature and create stands. Most of them look just like perennials (and technically are) and you would plant them as such in the gravel or rocks of your pond. You can also plant them in aquatic plant baskets so you can rearrange them at any time. Planting them in gravel in flow through aquatic baskets makes phytofilters for your pond, as the water is able to reach the roots of the plants so they can eat the nutrients provided by the decaying waste in the pond. Submerged: plants that grow completely underwater. Seaweed would be a good example. Most commonly sold at garden centers is hornwort or Anacharis as an oxygenator. This means the plants are exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide during the day. Conversely, at night, they use oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Generally we suggest weighting clumps of the oxygenators in the bottom of your pond with rocks. Some of them will grow roots into the gravel in the bottom of your pond. Lilies and Lily like plants: plants that have floating leaves and submerged roots. Water lilies are the most well known form of floating leafed plants, but you can find many other interesting plants such as the Water Snowflake in the photo at left. Water lilies grow best in rich soil and require regular fertilization to ensure bloom. This is one plant that if you don't make a large natural planting pocket in the bottom of your pond and fill it with dirt (then cover with sand and pea gravel), then I would recommend planting it in a large tub without holes. There are hardy and tropical lilies. The hardy ones will live in cold climates over winter if they are kept in the bottom of the pond and the tuber does not freeze. The tropical ones can be overwintered by layering the bare root in damp sand and storing a in a cool dark place over the winter. Lotus Lotus are ancient plants. There was a discovery of viable lotus seed found in a submerged boat in the orient that carbon dated back 1040 years. We have found lotus grow best in rich soil with at least 12" of water over their tuber. You would plant them like an iris, close to the surface of the pot, making sure the growing tips are pointed upward. Lotus are heavy feeders, if you notice the leaves losing their solid green color, it is time to feed them. Check out this great link for more on lotus. The following is a list of the aquatic plants we have grown or are growing please call for availability by item.
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