Hi All,
I just installed a 220gal above-ground preformed pond in my
backyard. I know it's a little late in the season to be putting in
plants, but living in Louisiana I'm hoping it won't matter. I am also
building a small 30gal veggie filter. Now here's my first problem, I
put the pond under a large tree. I know this is not good placement, and
I will probably regret it in the fall. LOL. However it is also making
it hard for me to decide on plants to put in the pond. HALF the pond
gets filtered light/ some full sun while the other side only gets
filtered light / shade. So I'm just not sure what plants will do good
here. I really wanted lilies, but wonder if the can live here. Also was
looking at "elephant ear", the type for planting in the pond, and
something that would do well in the veggie filter, which is in partial
sun. I know I want things that are very easy to care for, and can live
with fish. I also don't have very much to spend on this, so if anyone
has a cheap online soure for plants, please post sites, and could you
list some plant types that would do good with my pond conditions.
Finally, is it very important how fast the water goes through the
filter? On My filter the water will come in at the bottom go through
lava rock / plants and then fall back into the pond via a small
waterfall. So the water will be moving kinda fast (I think, don't have
filter hooked up yet), is that OK? Thanks for any help, this is my
second attempt at ponding, My first (much bigger) one was always green,
so I just pulled it up when my daughter starting walking. I've always
loved ponds and hoping this one will stay nice. Ouida

A good local cheap resource for plants this time of year is wal-mart.. they
are cleancing out all thier plants, and carry elephant ear bulbs, as well as
pond specific plants.

It's warmer where you are then I am (mountains in NC), so you won't have too
much wintering issues with plants compared to me.


--
Gareee
(Gary Tabar Jr.)
Gareee's Homepage:
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../mainframe.htm

On 8 Aug 2005 11:33:55 -0700, "Ann505"
wrote:

Hi All,
I just installed a 220gal above-ground preformed pond in my
backyard. I know it's a little late in the season to be putting in
plants, but living in Louisiana I'm hoping it won't matter. I am also
building a small 30gal veggie filter. Now here's my first problem, I
put the pond under a large tree. I know this is not good placement, and
I will probably regret it in the fall. LOL. However it is also making
it hard for me to decide on plants to put in the pond. HALF the pond
gets filtered light/ some full sun while the other side only gets
filtered light / shade. So I'm just not sure what plants will do good
here. I really wanted lilies, but wonder if the can live here. Also was
looking at "elephant ear", the type for planting in the pond, and
something that would do well in the veggie filter, which is in partial
sun. I know I want things that are very easy to care for, and can live
with fish. I also don't have very much to spend on this, so if anyone
has a cheap online soure for plants, please post sites, and could you
list some plant types that would do good with my pond conditions.
Finally, is it very important how fast the water goes through the
filter? On My filter the water will come in at the bottom go through
lava rock / plants and then fall back into the pond via a small
waterfall. So the water will be moving kinda fast (I think, don't have
filter hooked up yet), is that OK? Thanks for any help, this is my
second attempt at ponding, My first (much bigger) one was always green,
so I just pulled it up when my daughter starting walking. I've always
loved ponds and hoping this one will stay nice. Ouida


I used lava rock in a filter like that. Never again. It worked well,
then when it came time to take it out and clean the filter I lost
almost all my finger nails, the skin of the fingers was worn down.

Iris should do well, except they will turn your lava rock into a
single mass. Another thing I did wrong.

Water hyacinths and/or lettuce is good to start with. Lilies can get
by with part shade, they don't bloom so well, but some do better than
others. Night blooming tropicals are good. among the hardies I have
had luck with Marliac carnea and chromatella

the elephant ears should do well also. If they have been grown in the
shade they need to be brought into the sun slowly, they will sunburn.

New ponds going green is sort of normal, best to wait it out. If you
get the floating algae, just pull it out. If you change the water
everytime it gets green it will never end, until you do.

"Ann505" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi All,
I just installed a 220gal above-ground preformed pond in my
backyard. I know it's a little late in the season to be putting in
plants, but living in Louisiana I'm hoping it won't matter. I am also
building a small 30gal veggie filter. Now here's my first problem, I
put the pond under a large tree. I know this is not good placement, and
I will probably regret it in the fall. LOL. However it is also making
it hard for me to decide on plants to put in the pond. HALF the pond
gets filtered light/ some full sun while the other side only gets
filtered light / shade. So I'm just not sure what plants will do good
here. I really wanted lilies, but wonder if the can live here. Also was
looking at "elephant ear", the type for planting in the pond, and
something that would do well in the veggie filter, which is in partial
sun. I know I want things that are very easy to care for, and can live
with fish. I also don't have very much to spend on this, so if anyone
has a cheap online soure for plants, please post sites, and could you
list some plant types that would do good with my pond conditions.
Finally, is it very important how fast the water goes through the
filter? On My filter the water will come in at the bottom go through
lava rock / plants and then fall back into the pond via a small
waterfall. So the water will be moving kinda fast (I think, don't have
filter hooked up yet), is that OK? Thanks for any help, this is my
second attempt at ponding, My first (much bigger) one was always green,
so I just pulled it up when my daughter starting walking. I've always
loved ponds and hoping this one will stay nice. Ouida

My ponds are shaded for a good part of the day
(but we get a lot of sunshine here) and my hardy
water lilies do fine. They have healthy leaves and
a few blooms regularly.

I have a lot of anacharis or is that elodea?
The stuff that floats and I have to cull periodically.
In one pond I have a pot of creeping jenny that
grows slowly and some kind of reedy plant that
is spreading everywhere (despite shade).

Personally I would try some different things and
see what works for you. As others have pointed
out, this is a good time to buy since a lot of
plants are on special. My local Lowes also has
had a good supply of water garden plants.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

A reasonable definition of 'hardy' might be to specify it as those
plants which one way or another have evolved to cope with freezing
Winter conditions... By seed, tunneling roots, bulbs, corms that have
evolved to cope reliably with prolonged dormancy due to freezing
temperatures

It is fairly easy to adjust the depth of aquatic plants, using tubs or
pots of appropriate depth, 10" could accomodate quite a range of deep
or shallow growing varieties.

There are quite a few shade tolerant, shade loving plants suitable for
ponds and water gardens, you may want to think twice about spatterdocks
as they tend to be very large sprawly plants six feet wide. There are a
couple of small forms of spatterdock (very nice plants) Cape Fear
Spatterdock, and Nuphar Pumilla Minima, these are one of the few
waterlily types that thrive in a lot of shade

In a hot Summer, hardy waterlilies can 'cope' and thrive surprisingly
well, I've tried several of the prolific varieties with 'better'
growing characteristics and seen them flower quite well in almost
complete shade, they tend to put out bigger foliage and the blooms cope
well in the worst heat of the day. A few tried include Indiana, Rose
Arey, Pink Beauty, Splendida, Tomocik, Peaches and Cream, Joanne
Pring....

Aquatic shade tolerant plants:
(prefer saturated soil conditions, water over their roots)...

Hardies: Alisma, Acorus calamus, Acorus calamus variegatus, Arrow arum,
Arrowhead, Azolla, Bladderwort, Bog Arum- Calla palustris, Cotton
grass, Cyperus longus, Eleocharis (spike rush), Equesetum hyemale,
Frogbit, Golden club, Hornwort, Horsetail, Iris (shade may reduce their
ability to flower some) Carex sedges, Lizards tail, Mares tail, Marsh
marigold, Marsh pennywort, Marsilea, Nuphar pumilla minima, Parrots
feather, Pennywort, Nymphiodes aquatica, Phalaris, Scirpus zebrinus,
Typha (not the nasty latifolia, way too invasive) Water Hawthorn, Water
Lettuce, Water Mint ....there are GAZILLIONS of shade loving aquatic
and bog plants

Bog plants:
(Prefer moist but not saturated soil conditions)

Hardies: Acer, Aconitum, Alchemila, Alliums, Arum lilies, Aruncus,
Arundinaria, Astilbe, Azalea, Berberis, Bergenia, Brunnera, Carex
pendula, Chamaecyparis, Cimicifuga, Cinnamon fern, Creeping Jenny,
Ferns (Many), Convallaria, Corylus, Cotton grass, Cornus, Cotula,
Cyclamen, Danae, Dicentra, Epimedium, Euonymus, Filipendula,
Fritillaria, Galium, Gentiana, Gunnera, Helleborus, Hemerocallis, Hemp
agrimony, Hepatica, Heucherella, Hosta, Hydrangea, Ligularia, Liriope,
Lisichiton, Lilium, Lonicera, Lupinus, Lychnis, Lythrum, Meconopsis,
Mimulus, Miscanthus, Peltiphylum (Darmera) Phyllostachys, Polygonum,
Primula, Ranunculus, Rhamnus, Rheum, Rhododendron, Rodgersia, Royal
Fern, Rubus, Sasa veitchii, Saxifraga, Senecio, Sinarundinaria, Sium
suave, Skullcap, Tellima, Viola, Weigela

Half hardy (need Wintering frost free): Cyperus Alternifolia, Cyperus
Isocladus, Crinum Americanum, Gymnocoronum spilanthoides, Cyperus
papyrus, Arum lilies (callas) Marselia, Taro, Salvinia, Umbrella grass

I list some full aquatics as well as bog plants. There are enough
plants mentioned above to cram many a pool, bog, water margin... arrow
arum alone likes to make an exotic foliage plant 3 foot high, and 3ft
wide when it has conditions it likes... Many of them are 'specimen
plants' ...in effect they are gobsmackers. Most of the plants listed
here pop up on ebay now and then, so no need to be stuck with limited
or pricey local sources, at all

Buying from 'cheap' sources is likely to be counter productive. You
will likely end up with a titanic knot of invasive plants if you do not
have the gumption to be selective at choosing plants which represent
good long term value in terms of good growing characteristics and
features. The cheap end of the market is pretty well loaded with more
trouble than it's worth...

Ebay will probably present a better source and choice buying direct
from the grower rather than the likes of Walmarts rather 'iffy'
merchandise.

Regards, andy
http://www.members.aol.com/abdavisnc/swglist.html
-------------------------oo--------------------------
Ann505 wrote:

HALF the pond
gets filtered light/ some full sun while the other side only gets
filtered light / shade. So I'm just not sure what plants will do good
here. I really wanted lilies, but wonder if the can live here. Also was
looking at "elephant ear", the type for planting in the pond, and
something that would do well in the veggie filter, which is in partial
sun. I know I want things that are very easy to care for, and can live
with fish. I also don't have very much to spend on this, so if anyone
has a cheap online soure for plants, please post sites, and could you
list some plant types that would do good with my pond conditions.