6 Great Plants for a Small Pond

Does your pond look a little bare? Plants could really transform your pond. They are not only aesthetically pleasing, they can also be vital to the health of your pond. It is important to choose plants that are suitable for the depth of your pond so they can flourish. We’ve chosen six plants that will thrive in a small pond...

1. Waterlilies

Waterlilies are ‘deep water’ plants, which means you need to pot them in aquatic baskets and let them sink to the bottom of the pond. Waterlilies are great for ponds as they soak up potentially harmful metals in the water. They can also keep the pond cool by providing your fish shade in the warmer months.

The RHS give a great guide on choosing the right waterlilies for your small pond. For example, if your pond has 75cm-1.2m of water, choose Amabilis or Gladstoneana. For ponds 45cm-75cm in size, go for Masaniello or Marliacea Carnea.

Water Lillies

2. Marsh Marigolds

These beautiful yellow flowering plants are ‘marginal’. This means that their roots can be in water, but don’t have to be. Blooming in mid spring, they grow to around 15cm (6in) tall and need only about the same depth of water. Marginal plants are ideal for shading the edges of your pond, where algae may multiply in the warm, shallow water.

Marsh Marigold

3. Willow Moss

Willow Moss is an ‘oxygenating’ plant, important for a ponds health. They produce oxygen during the day and provide cover for your fish and other pond life. They are best planted attached to a stone and they’re brilliant for spawning wildlife as the eggs can easily attach to the small leaves. To plant Willow Moss, just drop a weighted bunch into the pond, ideally near running water.

Willow Moss

4. Spearworts

These plants are a member of the buttercup family, blooming bright yellow between April and July. These plants are marginal and it’s recommended they are placed on a pond shelf in no more than 20cm of water, or very wet soil. Suitable for sunny or semi-shaded ponds. Bees also love Spearworts, so your pond will be full of life!

Spearwort

5. Arum Lily

Ideal for ponds 15cm-30cm deep, Arum Lilies are beautiful white and fragrant flowers. They’ll grow best in moist soil, so it’s recommended to pot them in an aquatic basket and let them float to the bottom of the pond. If your pond is in the sun or is partially shaded, Arum Lilies will thrive!

arum Lillies

6. Flowering Rush

This type of plant, also known as a Butomus Umbellatus, is a stunning pink marginal plant. They can grow up to 90cm in height and flower in the Summer months. These nectar rich plants attract bees and hoverflies too! It is important to plant ‘Flowering Rush’ in large, round Aquatic Baskets (around 23cm) and not in pots as they will may growing. Place these on a pond shelf in full sun, up to 25cm deep or very wet soil.

flowering rush