Choosing Pond Plants

Add beauty while purifying your pond Those lovely floating lily pads are a part of nature's balance. They provide shade for fish (yes, fish can sunburn too), they help hold in oxygen, and they filter out impurities. Your pond kit may come with filters and aerators to do the job, but it makes sense to choose plants to help while turning your pond into a paradise. Best of all: you don't have to water them.

A few ideas floating around

Floating pond plants absorb heat and impurities, keeping algae under control. Many, like the popular blue shell water hyacinth, you just lay on the water and you're done. Water lilies need deep water, between 18 and 30 inches. You can start them in the shallower end when they're young, giving them a nice shot of sunshine when they need it. Don't let floating pond plants cover the whole surface, or it will stagnate. One-third to one-half is plenty.

Floating plants are a must if you plan to add fish. Fish need protection from direct sun, and they like having places to hide. Parrot's feather and water lettuce are fish favorites, providing a place to lay eggs.

Look out below

Submerged plants do the dirty work, filtering water and tickling fish. Anacharis, hornwort and red ludwigia are the must-haves of your waterworld. Plant them in a mix of gravel, sand and dirt. If it's a new pond, include one fertilizer tab near each group to help them get started.

Hardy or exotic?

Tropical plants are as fussy as they are beautiful. If temperatures fall below 70 degrees, they'll suffer. You'll need to bring them inside over cooler winters, pampering them with bright sunlight (or UV lamps) and daily mistings. But you'll be rewarded with an enviable garden pond like no other.

For the rest of us, hardy plants are easier. They can handle cooler temperatures, even frost, so you can spend more time enjoying them.

You need to know what temperate zone you're in. Call any garden supplier near you, or look online at the USDA agricultural website here: www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html. Most plants come with a card that lists which zones it thrives in.

Staying in the margins

Don't forget the marginals, plants that nestle along the boundaries of your garden pond. Cattail and plantain add dazzle while hiding pumps, filters and pipes.

Summer heat is harder on most plants, and you may need to feed them more. Every plant is different, so check with your garden supply store for fertilizing your specific pond plants.