Another sign of Spring!

As the weather warms up, we begin to spend more time enjoying outdoor living. As I spend time sprucing up my patio for spring and summer, I am replanting my container water garden . Pardon me but I like to call it my "pond"!  A container water garden  can enhance any outdoor living space and is pretty easy to assemble and maintain at a very budget friendly point.. Most water plants are tough to kill, and because the plants are just planted in submerged pots, it’s easy to rearrange your water garden if you get bored with your design. I didn’t have any plants survive last winter so I’m starting all over.

 This time instead of just buying the most inexpensive plants I could find , I took the time to get educated on what will work and how it will look. I had already started to redesign my "pond" by getting Water Hyacinth as it reproduces quickly and provides surface coverage and reduces algae. While I surfed the internet for plant ideas I saw lots of great examples of water gardens in containers. Here are a few that I think really look great....

My "pond" looked very much like this last year only my galvanized tub was painted blue.

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 I like this but would like to see more of the water!

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   I love the shape of this container. I think I'll be on the lookout for something shaped like this. Don't you just love the blooming water lily.

  Love the two tiered look. I also love to hear the sound of the water from a fountain.

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                    Really like galvanized tubs. The rocks give this a different texture.

 

 

This table top water garden shows  you can go small or big.

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You can use almost anything that can hold water for the garden: water garden tubs, troughs, old sinks or bathtubs, large bowls,  and of course the old standby -- the half-barrel. If you use wine or whiskey barrels, be aware that the toxins that remain in the wood can foul the water and may kill plants.You will want to line the barrel with a durable plastic liner, unless of course, you buy the half barrels sold at Home Depot of Lowes that have never held a drop of wine.

Select plants that have contrasting forms and textures to make your display more interesting.  I received a gift certificate to Randy's Perennials and Water Gardens in Lawrenceville, GA for Mother's Day. They have such an amazing collection of plants with a large variety for ponds and water gardens.  They even have fish and pond supplies and kits. With the help of their knowledgeable staff  I  chose a Queen Victoria, a deep burgundy foliage that will bloom with red flowers. A grass is always good so I bought Star Grass, which blooms to reveal white star shaped flowers and Dwarf Red Stemmed Parrot Feather, a delicate, lacy foliage that grows above and below the surface. Here they all are in the galvanized tub that I scored at Scott's about 2 years ago.

   Clock wise : Star Grass, Water Hyacinth, Dwarf Red Stemmed Parrot Feather 1 gold fish  and Queen Victoria.

The pump helps restore oxygen to the water, as at night plants consume O2 and produce CO2.

Moving water sounds great at night ( I can hear this through my bedroom window) and discourages mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the water.

 Still playing around with the plant placement. I am expecting  heavy rain tonight so I didn't fill tub up. After the heavy rains, I will make sure  the water level is just an inch below rim. As it's still early spring, I won't add more plants as these will grow and spread to cover the surface. This growth will give the fish shade from the sun and they will also munch on the roots.

Patio has gotten a new outdoor rug and new plants ( will share pics soon). Patio is almost ready. Ready for me, a Blueberry Vodka Lemonade and a good book.Would you consider awater garden in a container on your patio or porch? If you do please send me your pics, I'd love to see it and I'll share it  on the blog.