The following lists are of plants suitable for newly-created ponds of between about 30-100 m2, designed for general wildlife, amenity and education purposes. Normally variety and diversity are the aim, but ponds or other water features for particular purposes may need a particular range of plants, or in the case of reed beds, a single species.Avoid non-native plants, and for smaller ponds, avoid the vigorous native plants, listed below, which will rapidly fill the pond.
In general, keep planting simple, as you want to avoid creating a pond that will be choked with vegetation after only a couple of seasons. Start with about 8-10 different types of plants (not including marsh plants), see how they establish, and then add a few more types the following year as desired.
Pond plants are categorised according to the zone of the pond in which they grow, and by the type of growth. The following plants are fairly common, and obtainable from suppliers of pond plants, or from nearby ponds (with permission). Further details of plants are given in the vegetation tables on pages 147-155. Where the species is not given below, check in the tables for the species which is typical of your area and pond conditions. Some species are hard to identify and naming may vary according to source! Names here and in the tables are consistent with the Excursion Flora of the British Isles (Clapham, AR, Tutin, TG and Warburg, EF. Cambridge University Press 1968)
Free floating
Bladderwort (Ultricularia spp)
Frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae)
Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
Avoid the following vigorous species:
Duckweed (Lemna spp)
Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)
Submerged rooted plants
Curled pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
Starwort (Callitriche spp)
Water-crowfoot (Ranunuculus aquatilis)
Water violet (Hottonia palustris)
Floating-leaved rooted plants
Broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans)
Fringed water-lily (Nymphoides peltata)
Emergent plants
Amphibious bistort (Polygonum amphibium)
Arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia)
Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)
Lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)
Lesser water-plantain (Baldellia ranunculoides)
Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus)
Water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica)
Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)
Avoid the following vigorous native species:
Common reed (Phragmites australis)
Greater reedmace (Typha latifolia)
Mare’s tail (Hippuris vulgaris)
Unbranched bur-reed (Sparganium simplex)
Marginal plants
Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)
Brooklime (Veronica beccabunga)
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Gipsy-wort (Lycopus europaeus)
Kingcup or marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)
Marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris)
Marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris)
Reed-grass (Phalaris hybridus)
Rushes (Juncus spp)
Sedges (Carex spp)
Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)
Water mint (Mentha aquatica)
Yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus)
Yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris)
Obtaining plants
Obtaining plants from nearby ponds and waterways is possible, provided permission has been gained from the owner. Depletion of existing stocks is not usually a problem, and plants can be obtained when ponds are being cleared of excess vegetation. Only accept plants from sources with which you are familiar, or else you run the risk of introducing unwanted plants and other organisms.
Pond plants can also be purchased from specialist suppliers of aquatic plants.
Propagation
Most native water plants are easily propagated from pieces of root, or in the case of floating plants, by simply breaking pieces off. If plants become available before a new pond is ready for planting, or if you wish to build up stocks, plants can be stored or grown on in any suitable large container, filled to the appropriate depth for the type of plant. An old piece of liner or other large waterproof sheet can be laid on the ground supported at the edges by blocks or timber to make a shallow temporary pool. Keep topped up, preferably with rainwater.
Where a larger quantity of plants are needed, some species can be grown from seed, either propagated in a nursery, or spread directly onto the wet margins of the pond. For detailed information on propagation of reed for reedbed establishment, see Hawke, CJ and Jose, PV (1996).
Planting methods
The best planting time is May/June, when plants will quickly establish. Alternatively, choose September/October, when pond clearance work may provide a source of plants. Normally, planting should be done a few weeks after the pond is constructed, having given time for the water to stabilise. Ideally, the submerged oxygenating plants should be established first because of their importance in maintaining water quality. For ponds in school grounds, it may be a good idea to plant at the end of the summer term, which should give the plants an undisturbed summer holiday to get established.
Pond plants can be planted either directly into the soil layer in the pond, or planted in mesh containers which rest on the soil layer, into which the roots spread. The method of construction for most wildlife ponds make containers unnecessary, as there should be sufficient depth of soil in the pond to anchor the plants. Containers make planting easy, as they can be simply lowered into position ready-planted. They can also help restrict the growth of vigorous species, but are only appropriate for small and frequently managed ponds, and those without sufficient soil for rooting.
An exception may be when planting lilies, whose vigour is usefully controlled by a container, and which should be planted below wellie depth at 500-750mm. Line the container with a piece of hessian sacking or similar, fill with garden soil, and then plant the lily with a layer of gravel on top to prevent the soil washing out. Thread two lengths of strong twine through the container, and place in the shallow water for a week or so to allow the leaf stems and shoots to lengthen. Then, with a person standing either side of the pond, use the twine to lower the lily into its final position. Pull the twine free. Alternatively, the planted lily can be kept in a tank or similar for a couple of weeks, with the water level gradually raised to its final depth, and then lowered into the pond in one operation. This is advisable on sites where it may be stolen from the accessible shallows.
Other deep water aquatics can be planted into soil-filled hessian bags, weighted with some stones. Wade in and lower the plant into position, or throw the plant in from the bank.
Spacing
Planting distances for emergents and marginals depend on the purpose of planting. For most wildlife ponds, plant in groups, with individual plants about 300mm (12”) apart. Don’t intermix vigorous and slow-growing types, as the latter will rapidly be swamped by the growth of the former.
On larger ponds, where planting material may be insufficient to plant in one season, concentrate on getting a few stands of vegetation growing well. These can then be thinned out and used to plant other areas the following season.
Where marginal and emergent vegetation is being established for bankside stabilisation, plant closely at about 200mm (8”) spacings.
New reedbeds for commercial and wildlife interest are usually planted with seedlings at 1m (3’) spacings, to give full cover within one year. Pots containing clusters of seedlings will spread rapidly in all directions, and can be spaced at 2-3m (6-10’) intervals.
Achieving good water quality will depend on many factors, including the nutrient status of the water, aeration and the amount of shade. As a rough guide, the following should be suitable for a pond of about 10 m2:
3 floating leaved plants/lilies
45 submergents/oxygenators
15 emergents/marginals
Protecting new plantings
New plantings may need protecting against erosion from moving water, or wind-generated erosion on lakes and ponds. Any waterfowl will have a great impact on new plantings of marginal and submerged plants. Bottom-feeding fish such as carp and bream can destroy submerged rooted plants.
Geotextile rolls or wave barriers can be used to protect new plantings against erosion. Fence new plantings against grazing stock, and against trampling by people. Waterfowl must be fenced out using temporary fences of chicken wire, rigid wire mesh such as ‘Weldmesh’, or wattle hurdles. In most situations this fencing must be erected to completely enclose the plantings and prevent access both from the bank and from the water.
To protect new submerged plants from being eaten by dabbling waterfowl and fish, the London Lakes Project (report due to be published in 1997) used large willow baskets.
