Water Garden Plants

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:

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!