From Aquatic forget-me-nots that dangle on the edges of your water garden to beautiful lilies that perch on the pond’s surface, plants are truly what makes your water garden stand out. Things like color, height, and planting conditions are things you’ll want to consider when it comes to planting your pond.

Here are our top & tips for Pond Planting

1: Create Interest with Variety

Random placement of plants with varying textures and colors create more interest than using plants that have all the same growth habit or leaf shape. Use a combination of waterlilies and marginal plants such as canna, arrowhead, aquatic forget-me-not, water iris, and more. The options are almost endless and you can recreate your water garden into something new every year simply by choosing different hardy plants

2: Group Plants Together

Interior decorators tell you to group like objects together when decorating your home, to create visual impact. Use this same principle when planting your pond. Plant a row of marsh marigolds along a stretch of the ponds edge, as opposed to dotting them here and there in single locations.

3: Short in Front, Tall in Back

This might seem like a no-brainer, but always put shorter plants in front of taller ones.  Most likely, you’ll spend most of your time viewing your water garden from a deck or patio, so keep that sight line in mind when planting your pond. You’ll create more visual interest when you have a mix of tall and short plants.

Small Pond Planting Ideas

4: Know Your Plant Size

One of the biggest mistakes novice water gardeners make is failing to realize how big their pond plants might grow. Be sure to take height and width of the mature plant into consideration and allow enough space for future growth. If your plants do become crowded and overgrown, you can always divide them or thin them out just like your land perennials. Give extras to a friend or consider planting some in a container water garden to grace another area of your yard.

5: Consider Each Plant’s Needs

Be mindful of how much sun your aquatic plants require, along with their planting depth. If a plant requires full sun, that’s a minimum of 6 hours of unobstructed (ie not dappled shade) sun per day.  If you’re not sure what your plant needs, ask the pro at your local garden center or search online for information.

medium pond pond planting

6: Go Green

A soft, calming space is created by using different textures and shades of green foliage. The combination is effective on its own and mimics the style of a Japanese zen garden where texture takes precedence over an array of color.  Play with color based on leaf selection alone, since you’ll find aquatic foliage in a range of colors such as dark green, lime green, and several variegated combinations.

7: Play with Colors

Choose colors you like best and consider the type of lighting your water garden receives. Yellow, orange, and white help brighten shady areas, while cool blue and violet tone down the intensity of the sun’s rays. Experiment by mixing warm colors with cool ones. Yellow waterlilies look fabulous against a backdrop of blue water iris. Likewise, a purple waterlily such as Nymphaea ‘Violicious’ looks amazing in front of an orange canna lily.

Most of all, use your imagination and have some fun.  Along with choosing fish, pond planting can be the best part of creating your pond.

large pond planting

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What is a Dallas Water Garden?  If you’re asking this question, we’re guessing you’ve already considered getting your feet wet with a beautiful water feature for your outdoor space.

So what is water garden exactly? It’s pretty simple, water garden is a man-made water feature, usually a pool or pond, which is designed to complement the natural environment. Water gardens typically incorporate aquatic plants, ornamental fish, statuary, waterfalls, and other decorations.

A water garden adds visual interest and harmony to just about any outdoor space, like residential backyards, courtyards, and parks to name a few. The main reason people invest in these ‘lovely lagoons’ is to compliment the landscaping, and add enhancement to existing gardens.

There are several different types of Dallas water gardens, which luckily means there’s a style to suit your individual preferences.  Styles include container gardens, raised and sunken ponds, and bog gardens. A container water garden is typically small and easy to care for and can be placed on a patio or balcony with ease. It’s a great option for those that want to ease into the water garden world.

For more extravagant ponds, there are raised and sunken ponds that are built directly into the ground and require more maintenance than other types of water gardens. Bog gardens are the most natural of the three and are designed to attract wildlife. They are generally dug into the ground, lined with plastic, and filled with native plants and fish.

What are water gardens for?

Although a water garden’s primary focus is on the plants, they can also house various species of beautiful fish. Water gardens bring harmony, tranquility and visual interest to any outdoor space. And honestly, they’re really cool.

Just how big is a water garden?

Though they may vary in any size or depth, they are typically small and relatively shallow, generally less than 24 inches deep. The reason for this is because most aquatic plants are depth sensitive and require a specific water depth in order to thrive.

Why a Dallas Water Garden?

A water garden is an aquaculture system – a diverse aquatic ecosystem, one of the most productive and efficient systems around.  In an aquaculture system, aquatic plants have a constant supply of water that has nutrients dissolved in it, which they can easily take up. The waste from fish and other animals in the system provide additional nutrient to the plants, making for a very efficient and productive system.

What do I need in my water garden?

One word…Plants! Plants are an important part of any Dallas Water Garden. They add life to the feature, provide balance and create a natural ecosystem, which promotes the health of the fish.  A well-stocked water garden should include various types of plant & fish species. Plants can be submerged, marginal, or floating varieties. We always suggest that a combination of these plant types be used to keep the water garden in optimal health and provide character to the look of the pond.

Who are water gardens for?

You! And anyone with an appreciation for peace, beauty and serenity. Lacking a little whimsy in your garden or just life in general, a water garden may just be what you need. With so many options for plants, stones, and fish, customizing your water garden is a fun and enjoyable project. An experience with a result that will bring joy into your life every time you step outside!  Contact us to see about getting a Dallas Water Garden of your own!

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