Small Pond

Here are a few suggestions for planting up a small pond to give ideas about how you might plant up your own. Plants can be bought as singles if desired; where we recommend threes or sixes of the same plant it is simply to give impact more quickly, especially if your pond is at the larger end of the range we give.

Small Pond. Defined as: Bigger than a half-barrel pond but not over 6 feet by 4 feet.

Surface/Floating (Choose 1 - 2 of the following options) 

• Any waterlily from the Miniature Waterlilies or Small Waterlilies sections on our website
• Aponogeton distachyos x 1 (lower cost than a waterlily and in leaf most of the year, also a more suitable option for shady locations)
• Persicaria amphibia x 1 (not as attractive as a lily or a water hawthorn, but one of the few native options for deep water)
• Hydrocharis morsus-ranae x 3 (a native option, but quite small and in leaf less than half the year)
• Nymphoides peltata x 1 (a native option and very easy and attractive but will probably need to be thinned after two years)
• Marsilea mutica x 4 (for an unusual tropical look, but no flowers)
• Stratiotes aloides x 2 (a native option and gives an unusual look, but no significant flowers)

Oxygenators/Underwater (Choose 2 of the following options, all are native) 

• Ranunculus aquatilis x 4 (beautiful flowers and delicate foliage but dies away in summer so would ideally be combined with another oxygenator)
• Ceratophyllum x 2 (no need to pot but dies away in the winter leaving the pond bare)
• Myriophyllum spicatum x 2 (in leaf all year so a good stand-alone choice)
• Hippuris vulgaris x 3 
• Callitriche x 2 
• Lemna trisulca x 2 (much more slow-growing but a good option for very shady locations)

Marginal Plants (The number of marginal plants is mostly personal preference but we would suggest choosing 3 - 4 of the following options)

• Caltha palustris x 2 (yellow flowers in spring, also native) or Caltha palustris 'Flore Pleno' x 2 (more showy flowers but not quite native)
• Hydrocotyle vulgaris x 1 (very good at covering the pond edge, also native, but may need to be thinned occasionally)
• Baldellia ranunculoides x 6 (pink flowers and seedheads all summer, also native)
• Eriophorum vaginatum x 5 or Eriophorum angustifolium  x 3 (white seed heads spring to summer, also native)
• Myosotis scorpioides 'Mermaid' x 4 (blue flowers all summer)
• Ranunculus flammula subsp. minimus x 4 (yellow buttercup flowers from spring to autumn, also native)
• Potentilla palustris x 4 (unusual colour flowers, also native)
• Anemopsis californica x 3 (unusual white flowers and blooms later in the season than most plants)
• Juncus ensifolius x 4
• Veronica beccabunga x 2 (good for covering the pond edge, also native)
• Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' x 4 (evergreen, a suitable option for shade)
• Sagittaria sagittifolia x 2 (gives height and unusual looking leaves, also native)
• Equisetum hyemale x 4 (evergreen, a suitable option for shade, gives a lot of height, and is also native)
• Carex elata 'Aurea' x 4 (gives height)
• Typha minima x 4 (gives height and a traditional 'pond' look)
• Cyperus involucratus x 2 (gives height and an exotic look)
• Pontederia cordata (blue form or white form) x 1 (for height, an exotic look and late flowers that bees love) 
• Any Iris versicolor or laevigata variety x 1 (gives height)
• Zantedeschia aethiopica x 1 (white flowers and glossy leaves, gives an exotic look)