[kindredspirit]

Current plants.


I have my pond in a year now and these are the plants that currently growing there, most of which came from watery areas of local farmers' fields. The farmers were delighted that I dug them up.

Bulrush (Typhia Latifolia.)

Purple Loosestrife. Long flowering period in the water.

Arrowheads. (These are absolutely beautiful.)

Minature type of Arrowhead but I don't know the name of it. These didn't flower anyway.

Pipewort. Not that impressive but it hitched a ride into the pond with some bulrushes.

Canna. Florence Vaughan. This plant I bought from a nursery in Cornwall or Devon. Lovely flowers. I still have to see if it will survive a winter in our pond and pop up again next year.

Flowering Rush. (From my brother's pond.) Not an impressive plant, tho'.

Water Lilies. (From my brother's pond.) Sawed the plant into 19 tiny bits; 16 came up and flowered all summer. Last flower slowly sank below the water only a week ago! Fabulous plants.

Arum Lily. (Gift.) Bunged in the water a month or so ago. Had it growing in the garden but didn't like it there.

Loddon Lily.

Bog Myrtle. (Nicked it from a Connemara bog when up visiting someone.)

Unidentified Long Grass. It grows in ditches in local fields as it has to have it's feet wet. It's halfway in height between tall meadow grass and reeds but I don't know what it's called. Farmers have no name for it. Has purple seed heads.

Blanket weed. (Hitchiker) As soon as I find any of this growing, it goes into instant orbit away from the pond.

Parrot feather. This hitched its way into the pond unbeknown to me. It looks quite nice but it grows at the rate of a tropical plant. Should I root it all out?

Plants to be experimented with.

I bought some seeds to sow in the spring and I'm going to try the following in the pond next year. I may have partial success. I may have no success. You never know, they might all thrive but that's probably pushing the envelope a bit.

3 types of Hibiscus.

Meadow sweet. (because the ones I can get from the local field always have weeds and grass intertwined into them)

Astrantia.

Baptisia.

Cimiciguga.

Rodgersia.

Anyone growing any of these six in a pond? I'd like to know how they did with you and any tips or suggestions are most welcome.