I love water gardens. I think the sound of moving water is very relaxing. This project was a product of sheer inspiration. I wanted something Grand to be at the front door, and I wanted it to be something unusual and unexpected. I have even Grander plans for the pond in the backyard someday, but this Summer our little container pond brought us all hours of enjoyment. I don't think anyone could walk in our out of the house without looking for tadpoles or minnows, to see what they were up to!!
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This was a project I started in the spring. The container was purchased from Walmart. It was plastic and water tight. In the bottom I put large cinder blocks to lift the plants to the right height. I filled the top with Smooth River Rocks. I bought a small pond pump/filter to keep the water circulating. Very Important if you don't want a mosquito hatchery. The plants were bought from a local nursery. They are all Marginal plants, meaning the tops of the plant's containers should not be any deeper than a foot below the water surface. Most prefer much shallower water, more like 1-6" below the water surface. The kids went to the local pond and brought home tadpoles. A friend of mine after a fishing trip still had some minnows left over from the bait shop, they also made a lovely addition to our pond. We had so much fun atching them grow into frogs, and hoppingaway!
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| This is how much my plants grew by the end of the season. |
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| The water actually stayed this clear without any chemicals all summer. The plants, rocks, tadpoles, and water circulating, kept it very clear. |
I mostly container garden. The yard is small and we have a "few" dogs. Not to mention kids too! Excuse the poor quality photos they are from my phone. But this is from my Garden the other year.
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| Wave Petunias are one of my favorites. They last from Spring until late fall around here. |
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| I love the little solar powered lights for planters. I found them at Menard's. |
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| If you ever wondered if the Topsy Turvy really works?? Take a look at how well my tomato plants did in them. |
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| Tomato and Hot peppers |
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| Mint and Chives |
