Water Plants

Yellow Flag Iris pseudacorus

This week we opened the fishpond. It was still covered with the protective net, the water was very murky, the plants were in a crate at the bottom, and the waterfall was not hooked up. We were late starting-up the pond for the spring, due to the crazy weather, especially heavy rainfall. The best time to do this task is between St. Patrick's Day and Easter, and with a late Easter, we were really behind schedule. The same garden-center pond-experts who helped us prepare the pond for winter (read Winterizing the Fish Pond ) took the steps required for springtime start-up: They pumped out a third of the bad water, replaced it with fresh water, and added liquid bacteria and salt. They hooked up the pump and filter and started up the waterfall. They used the 'bubbler' (that oxygenated the pond during the winter) for a fountain at the edge of the pond, with the 'boy holding a goose'. I was very happy with the result:

)

For me, the best part was adding some new water plants. I chose just half-a-dozen perennials to start with, and we will add water lilies and water hyacinth after the last frost date.
Here is a list of my new aquatic plants:

Iris (see lead picture above

The iris grows from 18 inches to 2 feet tall. It is a prolific bloomer from early spring to midsummer.

Varigated Pennnywort Hydrocotyle sibthorpiodes

Pennywort grows 4 to 6, inches, forming flat lily-like leaves. It is a surface creeper.

Parrots Feather Myriophyllum aquaticum

Parrots Feather is a floating aquatic oxygenating pond plant. Each plant will cover 3 to 4 feet of the surface.

Floating Heart Nymphoides pelta

Yellow floating heart is a perennial, waterlily-like plant that carpets the water surface with long-stalked heart-shaped leaves.

Annacharis Elodea canadensis

Annacharis is an oxygenator plant that competes with algae. It acts as a filter in the pond. It was tied to a rock and placed in the bottom of the pond.

Blue Sedge Carex glaucescens

Blue sedge is a typical sedge plant with triangular blades that have a blue tint. It grows 12 to 18 inches high.

Chi-chi Ruellia

Chi-chi has a trumpet-like flower and prolific blooms from late spring to summer. It is multi-stemmed and grows 18 inches high.

Variegated Sweet Flag Acorus calamus

Sweet flag is a grass-like plant that grows 12 to 16 inches high. It has a sweet odor when cut.

Of the small number of plants that we over-wintered in the crate at the bottom of the bond, only the two blue sedges seem to have survived. When they were pulled up, we were fascinated to see that they had been used by toads to anchor their eggs. This shows the importance of aquatic plants -- not only do they oxygenate, provide food and protection for the fish, but are used to anchor eggs.

Strings of toads' eggs attached to a blue sedge water plant.

We saw and heard numerous frogs and toads in the pond all week. It seems we will get many more, as there are lots of eggs. It is easy to tell toads' eggs from frogs' eggs. Toads' eggs look like long strings of black beads, held together with clear jelly. I look forward to seeing the tadpoles. I hope the toads eat the slugs in my vegetable garden! Incidentally, the koi fish are becoming a little more active, but they still hide for most of the day.

My thanks to Ryan and Rocco for their hard work with the pond ...

... and a special thanks to Ryan for giving me the descriptions of the water plants.

Spring has sprung in several parts of my garden. The blue of the grape hyacinths in the shade garden is stunning! Many of the daffodils are past their peak, but this morning I photographed one of the double daffodils - gorgeous! I planted pansies and Johnny-jump-ups in the window boxes. A vary large rabbit visits often and I need to spray a deterrent, but we are still having frequent rain showers. I was delighted to see the humming birds on the feeders. I put the feeders out on Monday and the first hummer was there on Tuesday. You can see these spring joys in the collage below.

In addition, the catbirds are back. I saw one on Monday collecting hair from my mini horse to line its nest. And H.H. saw a bat last night flying around the pond -- searching for insects.

How I love the spring! I have started my early-morning routine of walking through my gardens, coffee cup in hand, looking for newly arrived blooms and shoots, and planning the days work out there. This morning, I startled some deer in the lower field.

Look closely; there are two deer in the picture.

It was a week of good events and bad. The devastation caused by the tornadoes in Alabama and across the south is unimaginable. I am relieved that Chris, The Redneck Rosarian, is safe. We pray for those who have lost loved ones and homes.

The good news was the royal wedding. I got up at 4:45 am and I loved every minute of it! I think the best review is by Crystal Coast Gardener. Kyna is so very witty. Do read her post about William and Kate.

Have a safe and happy week, dear gardening friends!
Pamela x

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