7questions …with a pond plant expert
1
One good reason to plant up a pond?
Despite being relatively small, ponds can support an abundance and variety of wildlife. Environmentally, they punch well above their weight.
2
I’m convinced! How do I start?
All ponds need plants and if you don’t live in an existing wetland area, you’ll need to get things going yourself. Eventually, you may be lucky with what other creatures bring in, but if there aren’t pond plants nearby, then algae will get a big head start – that’s a far less attractive option for both wildlife and pond owner.
3
What type of plants are we talking?
Keep things native – look plants up before you buy. Uk-grown options reduce the risk of invasive stowaways, plus they have a smaller carbon footprint. If you’re potting up your plants in baskets, use low-nutrient aquatic compost and lots of gravel to help them draw nutrients from the water.
4
Best time of year for planting?
Spring and summer when they’re growing. In autumn they die back to almost nothing.
5
Anything to watch out for?
Bear in mind the size of your pond! Our native water lily ‘Alba’, or a native relative – brandy bottle, for example – requires a larger pond with lots of open water to grow into.
6
Top plants for small ponds? Amphibious bistort is a beautiful alternative for smaller spaces. Yellow flag iris can spread vigorously, so needs to be kept in check.
7
Your favourite aquatic flower?
It’s got to be marsh marigold – it’s one of the first to emerge from a sleepy pond after winter, and that bold yellow flower is like a signal for everything else to come alive.