Water in the Landscape: From the Elaborate to the Simple

Jen BowryDale Cruzan

Karen Roudabush

Topics for Tonight

• Fountain/Pond Maintenance through the Seasons

• Considerations for Fish• Water Plants and Their Care• Incorporating Water Features Beyond

the Traditional Fountain–Rain Gardens

Water Garden Considerations

• Location–6 to 8 hours of direct sun–Most level site possible–Away from tall shrubs and trees- Viewed from the house- Relationship with existing landscape

- Easy access to water and electricity

Caring for Your Fountain: Spring

• Clean out debris• Remove fall netting• Cut back dead or

decaying parts of water garden plants

Caring for Your Fountain: Spring

• Look for disease problems in fish

• Clean filters• Check electrical

equipment for problems

Caring for Your Fountain: Summer

• Most growth occurs in the summer

• Clear out the algae– Algae that is long and in

strings can be picked out.

• Check the water levels• Check the water pH and

cloudiness

Caring for Your Fountain: Fall

• Pond starts to cool• Place fall netting over

pond– Prevents larger leaves

and twigs from falling into pond

• Only feed fish on warm days

• Divide up bog plants

Caring for Your Fountain: Winter

• Turn off fountains and waterfalls

• Make sure filters are clean

• Bring tropical plants into the house

Container Ponds

• Excellent way to experience water gardening without a large commitment.

• Require full sun for at least 5 hours daily• Spot that is shaded in mid- to late-afternoon is

ideal.• Keep them away from overhanging trees• Have easy access to water

Creating Your Splendid Garden

• Container must hold at least 4 gallons of water

• Plants will not overwinter in an above-ground container

• When using city water, be aware of chlorine content

Containers

• Whiskey Barrel– Line barrel with plastic

since wood may contain something harmful to plants and fish

• Galvanized horse trough

• Glazed pottery• Claw-foot bathtub

Water Plants and Their Care

• Deep Water plants• Floating plants• Submerged or

Oxygenators• Emergent• Bog plants

Submerged/Oxygenators

• Wild Celery (Vallisneria sp.) – Ribbon-like – Translucent, pale-green

leaves– Will grow in shade, part-

shade and sun – Water that is 6– 24 in

deep

Submerged/Oxygenators

• Anacharis (Egeria densa)– Whorls of deep green

leaves– Occasional white

flowers– Water 12 in-10 ft

deep

Emergent

• Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) – Mixed blue flowers in June – Grass like foliage– Tolerate full sun to part

shade– Grows from 24 –30 inches

tall– Potted plant placed 3 to 6

inches below water surface

Emergent

• Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus isocladus) – Green grass like foliage

with "starburst like" flower-heads that turn brown in the fall

– Tolerates sun to part shade– Grows 12 – 18 in tall– Potted plant placed 3 to 6

inches below water surface

Floaters

• Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) – Popular floater with

long, trailing roots, – Balloon like petioles– Spikes of pale lavender

flowers– Zone 9 plant• Brought in to winterize

Floaters

• Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) – Velvet, blue green

leaves – Forms a rosette of

foliage that looks like leaf lettuce

Caring for Fish

• Maintain ecosystem balance

• Wait 4-5 weeks after planting to introduce fish

• A good rule of thumb is to use 1-2 inches (length) of fish for every square foot of water surface

Caring for Fish• Gambezi are effective at controlling mosquitos by

feeding on the larvae. – They are black fish that provide entertainment by

flipping and jumping. – They may even reproduce in water gardens. – Over winter, keep them in an aquarium as they will

not survive in a container garden. • Guppies will thrive in a small garden. • Koi or goldfish are not recommended for a small

water garden, as they can not tolerate the extremes in temperatures and gas.

Caring for Fish

• Acclimate fish to pond life by floating them in a plastic bag in the pond for 15-20 minutes.

• Fish will feed on algae and plants, but some people enjoy feeding them.

Subtle Uses of Water Features

Benefits of a Rain Garden

• are beautiful and easy to incorporate into your yard

• conserve water• reduce standing water

in your yard • reduce mosquito

breeding

Benefits of a Rain Garden

• survive drought seasons • create habitat for

beneficial bugs, birds and butterflies

• come in all shapes and sizes that let your creativity blossom!

Rain Garden Plant Selection

• Tolerant of occasional flooding and dry periods

• Noninvasive species• Variety of species• Variety of plant heights

Rain Garden Construction• A rain garden's purpose is

to catch rain water with its plants and soil.

• Install plants in proper moisture zones.

• Plant in groups of 3-5 of the same species.

• Taller plants should be planted near the center.

• Plant according to plant’s mature size.

Maintaining a Rain Garden

• Add 2-4 inches of mulch to a newly planted rain garden.– New mulch should be added each fall, as needed.– Lightweight mulch should be avoided

• Trim dead, diseased, or damaged plants immediately.

• Water during dry periods – 1 inch of water per week is recommended.

Final Thoughts