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Aquatic Plant Suggestions

loesbobloesbob Posts: 33
in Plants
Hi All,

About three years ago I built/planted a half whiskey barrel in a relatively shady part of my very small garden hoping to attract wildlife and add interest but very little has happened other than the death of most of the plants that I originally populated it with.  The exception being a most uninteresting grass which took over and has now been dispatched to the great composter.  There is an equiseum Hyamale and a small but so far non flowering water lily.
Could anyone suggest a couple of plants which have some interest - unlikely but if it flowers all the better?
For info the lip is a couple of centimeters above the surrounding soil level.
Any suggestions truly welcomed.

Cheers
Bob

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,341
    I have many plants in my wildlife pond but by far the most rampant is Brooklime.
    It tries to colonise the entire pond and all the soil around it. It does have little blue flowers.
    That said, it's easy to pull out what you don't want and compost it.
    Maybe you pond just need to settle and balance for a while longer.

    https://www.puddleplants.co.uk/product/brooklime/#:~:text=Brooklime%20(Veronica%20beccabunga)%20is%20an,laying%20sites%20for%20adult%20dragonfly.


    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    Give it time. You may find the plants you thought dead will spring into life very shortly.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,791
    Buy some aquatic fertiliser pellets for your water lilly, and stick one or two into the soil in the pot.  You should also divide them every 3-4 years or so, otherwise they lose their vigour and stop flowering.

    Pontederia cordata reliably flowers in our pond, and has nice leaves.  
  • loesbobloesbob Posts: 33
    I shall take your advice KOG but as they have never flowered yet I am not sure they had any vigour!!  Thanks to all for the comments.  Will just keep trying.  Cheers
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,746
    The biggest problem is likely to be, that it is in shade. Water Lillies need sun.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • loesbobloesbob Posts: 33
    Thanks for that.  I made mine on the basis of an item on Gardeners World and the guy with the beard said to put it in shade and add a small lily.  Your comment does make sense especially as open water is where I have always seen them.  Back to the drawing board.  Thanks.
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