Water Garden Container Gardens

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A water garden can be built as small or large as you would like it to be, but remember that the bigger your garden is, the heavier the garden container will be.

However, if you make your garden too small, you won't have a great deal of room for many of the beautiful water-loving plants you'll soon discover.

And there are many plants to enjoy!

Buying a Container

Many people build their gardens in half barrel gardening containers, since they can purchase them at almost all discount, nursery and home improvement stores.

Many of these containers come with a liner included, which is something you'll want for your water garden. If the container you selected doesn't have a liner included, and the container is not waterproof, you'll need to purchase a liner for it.

Setting Up Your Container

Once you have your container, set it where you want it. Be very certain about this location, as it may be too heavy to move once you've added the soil, water and plants.

Place the liner in your container according to directions, then fill the container using a water hose. Let the water sit for no less than 24 hours or so, to make certain there are no leaks. The sitting time also lets the chlorine in the water off-gas.

Many water plants will want to have their leaves just at the surface of the water, with the balance of the plant submerged. Others want to have their soil base at the surface of the water instead, so you'll need to set those plants onto some kind of support or elevated surface.

Build shelves on the bottom of your container. arrange pieces of brick on top of one another, or turn over an old plastic garden container and place a brick on it to keep it from floating to the top. The small containers and stacks of bricks will let your new water-loving plants rest at the growing height they require.

Here are more details on how to assemble a container water garden.

Water Garden Soil

Water plants have their roots below the surface of the water, even in a container garden, so they require the right soil for that wet situation. The plants you purchase will frequently come in that soil.

However, you'll want to acquire some pebbles or peat moss that will be laid on top of the soil before you submerge your plants. These items will keep the soil in place rather than letting it drift out into the main water region of your garden.

Water Garden Plants

The new garden will be a lot more exciting if the plants are not at the same height. Try acquiring one that may grow 2 to 3 feet tall at maturity, and another that only grows a foot or so.

Then add one that floats on the surface of the water, and another that will fall over the side of your water garden container. The different heights and sizes will make the garden a lot more pleasing.

As soon as you have all your new plants in their location, you instantly have a gorgeous self-contained water garden that you can enjoy throughout the season.

Floating Plants

• Parrots' Feather
• Sensitive Plant
• Water Hyacinth
• Water Lettuce

Surface Plants

• Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) flower in full bloom
• Variegated Four-leaf Water Clover
• Water Hawthorne
• Water lilies
• Yellow Floating Heart

Submerged Plants

• Anacharis
• Cabomba
• Hornwort
• Jungle Vall

Marginal Plants (Bog Plants)

• Black Taro
• Zebra
• Corkscrew
• Horsetail Rush
• Aquatic Canna
• Purple Pickerel Rush
• Pink Pickerel Rush
• Variegated Water Celery
• Cardinal Flower
• Dwarf Cattail

Tips for Growing a Water Garden

• Your water garden should be where you can enjoy it, like on or close to the patio or in view from a window.
• Many water plants require a location with 5-8 hours of sunlight. A more shadowed place can be used, bit it will determine the plants you can grow in your water garden.
• Positions under overhanging trees should be studied. Leaves that fall into the water can decompose, sickening fish and plant life and clogging pumps and filters.
• Don't build a water garden in low regions where water will drain into the garden.
• When using a pump to run a fountain, waterfall or filter, have an outdoor use household circuit plug with 110 volts and 20 amps that is made for outdoor use close to the water garden.
• While you may think your water garden as a complete ecosystem, it will need some upkeep at several times of the year.
• You'll need to replenish the container's water due to evaporation. Don't fill directly from the hose. Fill a pail or bucket and let it sit for several hours to remove the chlorine.
• If you build a pond, the size should suit the yard and gardens. You don't want to overtake a modest yard with a big pond.
• Check with your municipality to determine if you need a permit to build a pond.
• Check your local utility for the position of underground lines before excavating a pond.
• Don't put a pond too near a tree. It might hurt the tree's roots, or the roots may grow through the liner, causing the pond to drain into the surrounding soil.
• If you build a pond, the soil should be well drained to prevent shifting or subsiding that can break or crack the lining.
• Ponds with less than 100 gallons of water fare better in afternoon shade.

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