These are a few of my favourite floating aquatic plants that I use for my pond. The roots are submerged with all the leaves and stems generously floating over the surface, the flowers, if there are any, above the surface. They're widely available from all good garden centres. Azolla (Fairy Moss) This is certainly the most generally available of all Foaters, and the one that you can almost certainly be offered is the Azolla caroliniana. It is a tiny fern with fronds which measure about 1/2 in. across. The dense mats of pale green leaves spread quite rapidly if left unchecked the entire surface of the pond can become covered, so only introduce this plant where the pond is small enough that you can take away excess growth by using a net. In the summertime the fronds turn red and in the winter much of the plant is cut back by frost and ice. It is recommended to overwinter a few of the fern within a jam jar filled with water and soil - reintroduce in April. Eichornia (Water Hyacinth) Eichornia crassipes is really a menace to waterways in frost-free countries but it can be a vibrant Floater for outdoor ponds in Britain between June and September. The leaves are dark and glossy with swollen stems. The late summer flowers are extremely attractive- strong spikes bear Orchid-like blooms of blue, lavender and yellow. However, the catalogues sometimes forget to say the flowers fail to appear in a very cool summer season. Plant in June and take them inside before the first frosts. Hydrocharis (Frog-bit) Hydrocharis morsus-renae is a good selection for a tiny pond or perhaps a minipond, growth is then restrained along with a succession of small and short-lived white flowers appear in the summer. In autumn the foliage begins to die away and the plant survives in the bottom of the pond in the form of dormant buds. In early the summer season these rise towards the surface and growth begins again. When Hydrocharis isn’t in flower it looks a lot like a Water Lily. The green kidney shaped leaves measure 1 - 2in. across. Overwinter some buds in a jam jar with water and soil- put into the pond in April. Lemna (Duckweed) Duckweed is in the catalogues, but do take care. You’ll see Lemna in stagnant ponds everywhere with a bright green blanket covering the surface. The standard pattern is a small leaf which has a root below with a rapid rate of growth. Several types are often offered by your supplier and they will provide food for the fish as well as providing shade for the water surface. In addition there are L.gibba(thick duckweed) and L.polyrhiza (greater duckweed). Avoid them like they were the plague, really the only one to think about will be the much less invasive L. trisulca. I hope people will find these small articles useful and informative, I do enjoy writing them so I hope you enjoy reading them nearly as much. Maybe I should add some pictures to go with the descriptions. I am open to any suggestions to make my articles more interesting.
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These are some of my favourite floating aquatic plants that I take advantage of for my pond. The roots are submerged aided by the leaves and stems generously floating on the surface, the flowers, if there is any, above the surface.
For my next article I will be writing about a further four floating plants that you would possibly consider placing into your pond. There are eight in particular that I would like to mention so I might have to split them into several small articles. Happy reading to you all. I would also like to take this chance to thank the 'gardener london' company that have given me help and advise throughout the numerous years that I have been gardening.
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