I just finished digging a new pond in my back yard and was wondering about plants. The pond is 15X7X2ft. I won't do any planting till spring but would like to know some good plants for a beginner. Also what to stay away from. This pond will also have a small bog on one end about 3ft square. I have plenty of time to think about this as I haven't even ordered the liner yet or any of the other stuff. Not sure about pumps or filter either. I am going to try and have a waterfall. Sorry to ramble on but just have so many ideas floating around in my head and don't know which way to go at it yet. This pond project seems very daunting but I promised my wife I would get it done. Thanks in advance for any advice and ideas
Plants for new pond
For starters, I'd get some Lousiana water irises. They are almost like weeds. Will grow in the shallow water, or in the dirt outside it, or in tubs. Perfect for the bog. If you have some sun, it's wonderful to have a couple of hardy water lillies. Nothing more beautiful under the sun!
jo
I would definately include a waterfall if you can. You will enjoy watching and listening to it and it will also be beneficial to your pond because it helps oxygenate your water and keeps it circulating. I have a small pond made out of a round aluminum cattle tank about 12 feet across and a smaller pond that I hand dug that is about 6 feet across. Both are about 18 to 20 inches deep. I kept losing my gold fish in the smaller pond but when I put in a little stream and waterfall to connect the two this summer the fish did really well due to the increased oxygen level. The water Iris are very pretty even when not in bloom but be prepared for them to be invasive. Water Hyacinth and water lettuce are nice to include in the pond. They are annuals here but multiply quickly. The water hyacinth has a bloom spike with the single blooms reminding me of the eye of a peacock feather. The water lettuce looks just like a floating head of looseleaf lettuce and is also very attractive. They make good cover and a spawning area for your fish as well. For the fish I just go to a bait store in the spring and get feeder gold fish. They are very inexpensive at that size and I have one right now that is 2-3 years old and is about 10" long. You might also consider one of the smaller lotus varieties. The blooms are beautiful and as they mature the leaves will grow up out of the water and add a little height to your plantings. They will grow in boggy places or submerged under several inches of water. I just noticed I am rambling on....... sorry!! Whatever you choose to do I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. Let us know how it goes. :)