7 Pond Planting Tips

From colourful water lilies to aquatic forget-me-nots that hug the sides of your pond, it’s the plants that emphasise the “garden” in “water garden.”  Things like colour, height, size, aromas, and planting conditions are things you should consider when installing plants in your pond.

1: Variety creates Interest and Drama

Placing plants randomly throughout the pond helps to create an interesting arrangement, when compared to using plants that all have the same growth, shape, and colour. Using a combination of lilies, marginal plants, and oxygenating plants help to create a real sense of drama and intrigue in your pond. You can really create something special and unique to your pond each year by mixing the plants up and installing different plants than the previous year. Here at Pondkeeper, we sell a variety of lilies and pond plants, but our most popular plants include the Oxygenating Plant Bundle, Ornamental Marginal Plant Bundle, and the Wildlife Marginal Plant Bundle; these include 6 different plants which help to diversify the plants in your pond.

2: Use Colour to make a statement

Choosing colours that you prefer helps to draw your interest; but you should also consider the lighting that your pond gets throughout the day. Yellow, orange, and white plants help to brighten up dark and shady areas, while shades of blue tone down the intensity of sunlight. You should experiment by mixing different colours in different places to create some bold designs. For example, yellow lilies look fantastic against blue irises, and a purple lily looks great in front of orange plants!

3: Go Green

If you are looking for a soft, calming space, then try to use different shades and textures of green. This combination is effective and mimics traditional Japanese zen gardens, where texture is more important than colour. There are a variety of different colours you can find; from the darker hues to the lighter lime colours, the possibilities are endless in creating a tranquil space for you to relax.

4: Know Your Plant Size

Be sure to take into consideration the height and width of the mature plant; don’t buy a small plant thinking it will remain small! Plants grow, and sometimes they can grow too much and may dominate the delicate arrangements of plants in your pond. If your plants become too overgrown, you can divide them or remove them like traditional garden plants; extras can even be given as thoughtful presents to neighbours, friends, and family. Or, better yet, you may want to use them in a small container pond to brighten up another area of your garden.

5: Short in Front, Tall in Back

This may seem obvious to some, but it’s not always obvious to everyone. Make sure to put shorter plants in front of taller ones, to really draw out the effect of the shorter plants. Also, keep to the line of sight of where you will be viewing the pond; most people will view the pond from a chair, window, or a patio. So try to plan the plant arrangements from where you will be spending most of the time viewing the pond.

6: Group Plants Together

Try to group some plants together; for instance, a row of marsh marigolds might look nice along a pond edge, rather than dotting them around on their own.

7: Consider Each Plant’s Needs

When you are purchasing your plants, take into consideration how much sunlight they will need along with their average planting depth. Some plants may need a minimum of 6 hours sun, others prefer to be in the shade. If you need to know more information, look online, or ask the customer service team at the garden centre or company you purchase the plants from.

You may also find the below blogs useful:
• Pond Plants Blogs
• How to create a Small Pond using a Container
• Water Features
• Pond Design

If you have any queries, please email us on info@pondkeeper.co.uk.