The sight and sound of water in the garden can bring life to its surroundings and a sense of calm that we all seem to need right now.
A water garden can be created in many forms with varying degrees of simplicity or complexity. A small water feature in a half-barrel-sized container on a patio. A small to medium one in a preformed fibreglass pool or pond in the ground. An old stock tank or bathtub. A pool liner laid over a hole dug into the ground. A natural pond fed by springs. A fountain, stream or waterfall for moving water. Planning is key, but there are endless options! Just be sure to check any local zoning restrictions before you build.
Whatever the pond form, water can immediately attract nature even in the middle of an urban space. Dragonflies, birds, and frogs will show up to sip, dip and enjoy!
Water gardens also provide a space to garden with plants that bring unexpected beauty and intrigue. It’s a whole new world of native and tropical, annual and perennial plants that exist in the water or on the edge of a pond.
Three Categories of Water Garden Plants
1. Underwater or Submerged Plants
Deep-water plants with floating leaves and flowers, like water lilies and lotus, are included in this group. Often the showy main feature of a water garden, water lilies come in various sizes and colours and produce blooms from late Spring to early Fall. Hardy lilies thrive year after year with very little effort. Full sun and water 18 to 36 inches deep will give a water lily the conditions it needs.
Oxygenating plants are not showy but are also found underwater, and they are essential. Anyone who owns an aquarium knows the importance of good oxygenators to improve water quality. They compete with algae for nutrients and win the battle each time. Elodia canadensis looks a little bit like seaweed, but it’s a hardy and vigorous water perennial here in southern Ontario, which makes it a very popular choice.
2. Floating
Duckweed and Water hyacinth are examples of plants that float freely on water. No soil is required! While Water hyacinth is a problematic invasive perennial in southern U.S. climates, here in Ontario, it’s a carefree annual and probably one of the most beneficial plants for a garden pond. Water hyacinths provide much-needed shade (algae requires sunlight to thrive), and the roots absorb excess nutrients, helping control algae and purify the water. If that’s not enough, its shiny green leaves can stand up to 4 inches out of the water, and they surround a spike of lovely blueish-purple flowers. It also provides shelter for fish.
3. Shallow water or Marginal Plants
This is the bog folks! The plants grown here are also known as marginal plants. While the term bog doesn’t conjure dreamy Monet water lily paintings, the plants in this area of a pond or wetland can be beautiful, interesting and beneficial. Marginal plants and moisture-loving perennials, grow in the soil just below the water's surface or in consistently wet soil. They are beneficial because they keep water clear by keeping algae at bay. However, as previously mentioned there are many beautiful and interesting plants that grow on the pond's edge.
Here are just a few:
- Cattail - Hardy
- Water Iris - Hardy
- Variegated Sweet Flag - Hardy
- Corkscrew Rush - Hardy
- Pickerel Rush - Hardy
- Dwarf Papyrus - Tropical
Growing plants in and around a water garden can be a very satisfying project. Curious guests will love to chat about it and ask questions making it a great conversation starter. It also provides a peaceful spot in your backyard to relax and watch the dragonflies whiz by!
If dull days have you feeling a little down, a fresh, green, tropical plant might just be the tonic to inject some life into your living space and brighten things up.
Go Green
Spring flowers are beautiful, but the hero of Spring is the abundance of green. As everything comes back to life, it’s the colour that begins to envelop us, and it just makes the world look so much better again.
Adding greenery to your home can have that same overall effect! If you’re new to houseplants, there’s really something for everyone. There are tropical plants that can be very easy to grow and require very little attention. Plant care (how often they need water) and conditions (how much light they need) are two main factors to think about when choosing the best indoor plants for you.
Here are four beautiful houseplants to consider:
Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata or Snake Plant is a very hardy indoor plant, some say nearly indestructible. It will grow in almost any amount of light - dark to bright, so it can be placed virtually anywhere in your home. These tough plants require very little water - only water them if the soil feels dry. Overwatering may lead to root rot, so save your love and attention for something else, your Snake Plant just needs a little sip now and then.
ZZ Plant
Wondering why the strange name? Technically its name is Zamioculcas zamiifolia…so let’s stick with ZZ! This is another easy to care for house plant. It likes bright, indirect light and some water every couple of weeks. Basically, a drink whenever the soil dries out. Not bad for a plant that looks like its shiny leaves have had a spa day.
Spider Plant
Spider Plants are predominantly known for their graceful arching foliage, but they do send out a stem of small, star-shaped flowers fairly regularly on mature plants adding to the beauty of this popular house plant. Bright indirect light is where it thrives, and it does enjoy regular watering. Humidity can also help the Spider Plant stay healthy which makes it a great candidate for a bathroom with a shower or tub in it.
String of Pearls
Tiny, pea shaped leaves that look like pearls on a string make this a very unique houseplant. Unique may be a code word for: this one needs a little more attention. It’s best grown in a plant hanger or on a shelf where its trailing lengths of pearls are undisturbed. Morning light is best, not full light in the heat of the afternoon. During its growing season in Spring and Summer, keep the soil moist. It can be watered less in the winter. This is a plant that you can talk to each day while you give it a little drink, and it may become a very loyal friend. String of Hearts or other succulent, trailing vines are also plants to consider when you come in to shop and you’re liking the sound of this one.
When you do come into the store to see us, we can help with any other questions that you may have, like whether or not fertilizer is recommended and when to repot. Or, read this article on Tropical Plant Care.
When you pick out your new tropicals, we also have a great selection of decorative pots to place your new plants in to enhance your decor.
Eising Exotics
If you’re looking for a really special feature plant, or maybe to make your garden or pool area feel like you’ve been transported to a southern paradise, it’s time to pre-order larger palms and tropical plants! Shopping for these tropicals will surely make you feel like warm Summer breezes are just around the corner. Visit the Eising Exotics page now to view what’s available and place your pre-order.
