What can I grow in shallow water?

My sister in Virginia Beach said a friend grows Mexican Petunias, Calla Lilies, Cannas, and Hostas right in the water. She lives in 8a; I live in 6 a/b?. Could I grow those and leave them in the pond over the winter? What are some other unusual plants that I could grow that are not normally thought of as water plants?

I did read in a Rodale book that if one has running water, even a fountain, one can just put a bunch of watercress from the grocery store in it and it will root and spread. Has anyone tried that?

This was some watercress that took root in a liner pond. The plant seems to like running water and has stayed for several years in this spillway/walkway area made of cement that divides the upper and lower pond. Someone brought a start of it from his filter. He used watercress as a filter medium. I think he got his start from the wild. I have seen watercress seeds for sale; however, I haven't tried growing it from seed.

Do research on bog and marginal plants.

Have fun,

Deborah

There are a lot of things you could try. I know from another thread that hostas will overwinter in this zone. Mint should do well also. What I would say is do a little research and try various things on your own. There are a lot of things that would probably do well in that situation that are not "supposed" to. I found out after growing some giant reed grass for several years in my dry garden that it is actually a bog plant so I will put a pot of that in this year and see how it does.

I don't know about over wintering in your zone but there plants that may be self seeding annuals that will return.

Mints, sweet potato vine (you may have to replant or take cuttings of this one), impatiens, obedient plant, forget me nots (not the chinese kind) will all grow along the pond edge but grow their roots down into the water.

Thanks for the suggestions, Pickle, Darlingdeb, and tetley tuna, I could now just kick myself because the local nursery had two gorgeous sweet potato vines on sale for $.99 and I did not pick them up because I didn't think I had any use for them. I do have some forget-me-nots left over from winter sowing.