So you finally finished your water garden construction. You have finally come to the fun part of creating your water garden: picking the flowers and plants that will make your water garden a beautiful oasis.
Not only should you consider beauty when you are picking your plants, but you must also remember that plants provide another, more important value to your garden, biological life. Biological life helps maintain your pond by doing what they would do in nature.
Be sure to pay attention to your climate and area. Some plants can simply not survive in certain conditions, so it is wise to do your research beforehand. Talking with your local dealer will give you some idea of what plants you can and cannot have in your pond.
Lotus Plants
Undoubtedly, if you want one showpiece plant in the pond, it is likely to be a Lotus — the blooms are genuinely unmatched. One thing to clear up first, because it changes how you plan for winter: koi are not tropical fish. They are temperate, cold-water fish that go dormant and overwinter under ice, so a koi pond and a tropical water garden are not the same build.
Lotus need soil, a container, and a lot of sun — six or more hours of direct sun is the practical threshold for reliable flowering.
Depth is where most lotus fail, and it is usually a units problem rather than a gardening one. Lotus depth gets published four different ways: water over the soil surface in the pot, over the pot rim, over the pot's base, and total pond depth. That is why the same plant is described in one place as wanting three inches and in another as wanting three feet, and why a figure copied without its basis is worse than no figure at all. Measured as water above the soil surface inside the container — the only basis worth using — start a new lotus at 2 to 4 inches and raise the level as it pushes aerial leaves. Once established, bowl and dwarf cultivars want 2 to 12 inches over the crown, and standard and large cultivars 12 to 24 inches. A bowl lotus set under two feet of water will not grow. Full depths by plant type are in our pond plant buyer's guide.
Hardy lotus do not need to come indoors, and they do not need 65°F. They die back completely in winter and return from the tuber. The only requirement is that the tuber does not freeze solid. Because established lotus sit shallower than water lilies, in cold zones that usually means moving the container below the freeze line or into a space that stays above freezing, rather than leaving it where it sits. Tropical lotus and tropical water lilies are the ones that need to be lifted and stored.
Water Hyacinths
If you simply do not have the time to plant and maintain your water garden’s foliage, or you are somewhat lazy when it comes to gardening, you may want to consider adding Water Hyacinths. Water hyacinths have become very popular recently because of their simplicity. They do not require any type of soil or planting, you must simply throw them into the water. Only minimal time is needed to anchor them down so that they do not float all over the pond freely. Check that you can legally receive them before you order. Water hyacinth is prohibited or restricted in a number of US states and cannot be shipped everywhere. Check the product page for current shipping restrictions and your state's aquatic plant rules before ordering, and never release it into a natural waterway.
Water Hyacinths are not only pretty, but are also very functional as well. These plants aid in the fight against both algae and blanket weeds.
One downside when having Water Hyacinths is the fact that they will take over your pond and yard if you allow them. Water hyacinths are very invasive, and will spread if allowed. In extreme cases, it may even jump the fence and take over the neighbor's yard as well. Once they have caused this kind of infestation, it is notoriously difficult to get rid of them.
Hidden But Functional Plants
Alternatively, you may want to consider investing in plants that are not necessarily seen. These plants live below the water line, and provide many needed functions to your pond. Some help you battle algae, put oxygen back into the water, or feed your fish for you.
You can find these in bundles as oxygenating pond plants. The majority of underwater plants will not need additional support during the winter, so once you place them in the water, you may not think twice about them again. However, the benefits that you gain from having these types of plants make up for the fact that you are not able to actually see them.
Ready to Purchase? You've come to the right place. Play it Koi has a wide variety of Water Plants available for purchase. View our current pond plant selection now, or start with the pond plant buyer's guide if you are not sure what your pond needs!
Please Note: To ensure your plants arrive safely, we do not ship except during the spring & summer months.