19 Jun Best Low Maintenance Plants for Your Backyard Pond
Relaxing in your back yard with a cold drink, and the sound of calming water…sounds like paradise doesn’t it? A Backyard pond is a wonderful way to bring nature, relaxation and aesthetics to your home. They are easier to create than you think and will provide entertainment and education for you and your family. Even better, they attract beneficial wildlife, but not the unpleasant ones, like mosquitos. A variety of plants will work together to maintain your pond easily, and we have a few tips on plants to keep this as low-maintenance for you as possible, while keeping your pond sustainable and eco-friendly.
Sustainable plants to keep your backyard pond low-maintenance:
Siberian Iris: These beautiful purple flowers are a good choice for wet gardens or to plant near ponds. They attract butterflies and perform well in medium to wet soil.
Hardy Water Lily: This plant floats on pond surfaces, showing its blooms in many beautiful colors. The only thing to keep in mind is to avoid getting too close to waterfalls that could damage them.
Cattail: Cattails add an edge to the pond, while thriving in water. They keep your pond healthy by protecting nesting animals from predators. Some fish love to spawn along cattails. You need to maintain them, though, since they grow rapidly. Keeping these under control, however, is very easy and generally requires a simple cutting of new shoots when they emerge out of the water, or uprooting unwanted ones.
Water Lettuce: These floating plants thrive in no-current goldfish and koi ponds. They make fish happy by providing both food and shelter. Another benefit i they provide is preventing nasty algae. This is one of the easiest and most beneficial plants to have in your pond.
Barley straw: Barley straw is known to control pond algae and very effective in small ponds. The straw can be placed near a stream or waterfall. As the straw decomposes, it will sink into the water. It’s best to add when the water temperature is cooler, possibly early in the spring.
Anacharis and Cabomba: These are both submerged plants that grow completely underwater. Fish love to hide in these plants from predators. These oxygenating plants do not require fertilizing as they use nutrients already in your pond water.
Have fun with your garden pond, and experiment with different plants! If you don’t have space for a pond inyour backyard, you can try out a barrel garden. These are easy to make and take up little space. Read this article on how to build a barrel garden/pond!
What are your favorite plants to grow in your backyard pond? Share with us in the comments!
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