A WATER GARDEN IN YOUR BACKYARD

Even though water gardens are quite popular, they require planning and some skill to maintain them properly. You cannot simply invent one but, with a bit of care, your water garden will be as easy to maintain as a flower bed.

Adding plants

Plants are an important decorative component of any water garden. In fact, a water garden with no plants is like a flower bed without flowers. Their presence is not only decorative, it also serves different purposes such as water oxygenation, filtration and cooling thanks to the shade they provide.

Grasses and foliage

Emphasize the plants that border your water garden. Grasses, such as sedge, are an excellent choice especially if you want to enhance a natural look. Other good selections would be the foliage of the very appealing staghorn sumac or the Japanese maple.

Forms and textures

On the edges, play with forms and textures. For example the fronded leaves of ferns will contrast beautifully with the hostas’ rounded leaves or the fine foliage of grasses and irises. Add some bright flowers, such as day lilies or annuals, to complement and highlight the monochromatic beauty of your layout.

Immersed plants

Introduce immersed plants to your water garden. Consider the great foliage of the Pontederia cordata and their beautiful violet blue flowers or other species such as Japanese irises, lotuses, elephant ears or dasheens and marsh marigolds.

Water hyacinths and water-lilies help oxygenate the water. The latter are comfortable in calm and clean waters and they will cool the water during the mid-summer heat.