You only need to browse through our store to see how beautiful water plants like our lilies are, how a marginal can brighten your pond’s borders and the reeds can add interest and drama to even the smallest tub garden or the largest lake. Stocking your pond isn’t just about how it the pond looks, it’s also about keeping the whole pond happy and healthy.

Each individual pond has it’s own mini ecosystem.  The smallest body of water can provide a healthy environment for all kinds of wildlife as long as the water is oxygenated. Water quality is a great way to gauge the health of the pond.

Balanced planting of water plants

Water doesn’t have to be moving to be healthy. Most pond plants prefer still water where their roots are not disturbed and they don’t have water constantly dripping on their leaves. Pumps and fountains are definitely not essential for any garden pond. In fact they are always a problem when you are trying to achieve the harmony necessary for a healthy environment. Balanced planting is the only way to create a fully functioning ecosystem. This should come as no surprise given that plants are the key players in the transpiration system that supports all life on our planet.

You probably remember your basic biology lessons from school. Plants suck up water from the soil through their roots. Nutrients dissolved in the water feed the growth of the plant. The excess water evaporates through the leaves back into the atmosphere, circulating back into the water cycle. Plants also collect carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, through photosynthesis, break it down releasing oxygen back into their environment.

Let your water plants do the filtering, naturally

Basic photosynthesis of a water plantsThis process is no different in your tub garden,  garden pool, pond or lake.  The effect of these fundamentally positive processes is to circulate and oxygenate the water. Water plants in your pond will happily oxygenate and circulate the water. They can do the job of a mechanical pump system but without the need for expensive, artificial, energy consumption. Providing you have a well-balanced selection of plants, at all levels, the water will remain sweet, clear and well oxygenated. You’ll have your own slice of paradise helping the environment and providing a wonderful home for lots of watery little critters.