Water gardens

By Hosea Omole

Water plants are an important component of any water garden. Without them, a manmade water feature would look out of context. They encompass plants that grow in wet or moist soil next to water, plants that float on water, water lilies and plants that are fully submerged in water.

To produce a natural looking water feature, all the above categories are important. Here are some basic truths about water plants to guide you next time you wish to plant around a natural water feature.

Submerged water plants

Plants that grow underwater are called submerged water plants. They are also called oxygenators for their ability to add oxygen to the water during daylight hours. Aquarium plants that are grown fall in this category. They also encompass the many underwater plants that provide cover and spawning ground for fish in natural lakes, rivers and streams.

Do not underrate the beauty of submerged plants in a water garden. Besides supporting aquatic life in ponds and aquaria, many have colourful foliage that glistens underwater. Several even have flowers that float on the water surface. They are easy to grow and need little care to make their important contribution to the ecology and life of the pond.

Floating water plants

Plants that sit on the water surface with no need of a pot or soil are called floating water plants. Floaters are easy to grow and some even flower, with bright blue blooms as long as some light is available. All they need is a container that holds water and they will grow right on the deck or patio.

Their roots dangle down in the water, drawing nutrients that could otherwise cause an algae bloom. They are also among the least expensive of all water plants. You can, therefore, add new ones every season for renewed interest.

Marginal water plants

At the edge of the pond are the ‘marginals’. These plants grow with their roots in the soil, but with most of their foliage above the soil and out of the water. They are also referred to as ‘emergent’ because their leaves emerge above the soil and water. Some grow in soil that is only moist or wet, while others like to be in soil that is a few inches under the water.

Marginal water plants can be more than six feet or less than two inches tall. Some are clump forming and stay where they are put. Others are rambling types that come up all over the pond edge. Both flowers and foliage can range from red to pink, from white to yellow or orange, and even from purple to blue.

Water lilies

Another type of water plants are those that grow with their roots and stems below water and their foliage floating on the water surface, right out in the middle of the pond. The well known members of this group are the water lilies. Their leaves are round and look like floating green pads.

Water lily flowers have many petals and vary in shape from round to stellate. Some float on the water while others are held on stems several inches out of the water.

The writer is a landscape architect.