Choosing the Right Plants For your Pond

It is important in any pond or feature to have a good balance of plants, offering a variety of colour and foliage at different times of the year for you, the gardener and for the pond, the plants required for a successful ecosystem.

Do research the plants you choose as you would for the garden. All the plants at World of Water are clearly labelled to show the height they attain, their spread, and the depth of water they prefer. Mature specimens can be seen in our show gardens and any questions can be happily answered by members of our staff.

You will find that some plants are very vigorous and are only suitable for larger ponds, and some slower growing plants are best suited for the smaller feature. However if you need quick cover on any pond you can always add some fast growing, spreading plants to offer shade. Once your chosen plants have matured simply remove them or trim the excess back and transfer to the compost heap. By removing or trimming the plant excess nutrients are being harvested horn the pond, helping to keep the pond balanced and healthy.
Always remember to take into account the potential height of the plant, as some grasses and rushes can grow very tall and would obscure a pond if poorly positioned.

The table below offers a rough guide to the number of plants you may require to start a successful pond. Simply work out the approximate surface area of your pond (e.g. A pond 4 meters x 2 meters = 8 meters square.)