8 March 2016

Wildlife Pond, Park Four

This is the last part of my pond post, where I will mention what plants I plan to get when they come in season.

There are many different plants out there, and it can be hard to choose which ones, so hopefully, this helps a little to understand what you may need. 

With pond plants, you will need a mixture of native emergent, submerged oxygenators, marginal, and floating plants. Emergent plants are rooted plants, but the leaves and stems extend out of the water, they provide food and shelter for different wildlife. Submerged oxygenators are important as they supply oxygen during the day, and they also help remove waste and nutrients to prevent algae growth. Marginal plants are ornamental flowers/foliage which gives good decoration. However, they also provide good shading to prevent the algae from multiplying in the heat, as well as shading and potential food for other wildlife. Floating plants reduces the amount of sunlight in the water, which keeps it cool, and as well as adding shade for the wildlife.

Try to get local plants if you can, but there are different Internet suppliers as well, however, ensure the plants for your pond are native to your area. As by adding non-native plants can be extremely invasive and harmful to the pond, and potentially other habitats. Therefore, read up on your plants, get to know what is good and bad, to ensure a successful pond.

I have had a look around and as I have a small pond, I have only chosen a couple of plants to put in, and some around the outside of the pond, so here are a few I have chosen, although I may not use them all:

Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) - This is a British Native submerged oxygenator, with dark green feathery foliage. Floats freely in a depth of 30 - 90 cm. 



Hair Grass (Eleocharis acicularis) - British Native oxygenator, which looks like thicker grass. Best kept in a basket if a small tub, as it can spread quickly

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Water Starwort (callitriche palustris) - British Native submerged oxygenator with masses of small star-shaped green leaves on a very delicate stem. Place within 6 8 inches of water, and the foliage shall rise to the surface quickly.



Frogbit (Hydrocharis Morsus) - British Native floating plant, grows on runners and has pale green/olive coloured leaves, with white flowers from June - August. 



Water Crowfoot (ranunculus aquatilis) - British Native submerged oxygenator plant with some leaf cover and white flowers in May, but most of the foliage is submerged underwater, place 30 cm deep if in a basket, if barerooted then drop into a deep area of the pond.



Water Forget Me Not (Myosotis scorpioides palustris) - British Native emergent plant with pretty flowers, place either in wet mud or up to 5 cm of water over the top of the basket. 



Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustiris) - British Native marginal plant, it has mounds of leave with single yellow flowers. Place either in wet mud of up to 10 cm of water over the top of the basket. 



Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) - British Native marginal plant, it is a vigorous scrambling plant covered with globular lilac flower heads. Place either in wet mud of 10 cm of water over the top of the basket.



Greater Pond Sedge (Carex riparia) - British Native marginal plant, which has a grey leaf on this strong growing sedge with black seedheads opening to brown seeds in the summer. Place either in wet mud or 15 cm of water over the top of the basket.

CAREX RIPARIA (Greater Pond Sedge - British Native)

Here are a few plants I picked out, and hope to buy when they come in stock, which will hopefully be in a couple of weeks for some of them. Therefore, once I get my plants and get the area sorted, I shall do an update post to keep you all updated on how it all goes. Looking forward to the spring and summer when I get my plants and they come into bloom and is thriving with wildlife.

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