Types of Water Gardens

On the bank is Golden Monewort, (Lysimachia nummularia "Aurea" ) Dwarf Horsetails (Equisetum scripoides) and Sensitive Plant (Memosa pudica ) (not visable)

Water gardens can be as small as a kitchen saucer or many acres in size, and they can consist of a simple display of moving water, or can be a diverse collection of plants and animals.

The 15 inch planter to the left contains 8 different water plants and 2 small goldfish.

The plants are the floaters Duckweed, (Lemina minor) Water Fern, (Salvania rotundifolia) Fairy Moss, (Azollia caroliniana) Water Letuce, ( Pistia stratiotes) and Floating Fern. (Ceratopteris pteridoides)


Another pleasure can be watching the different components of a water garden, like the dragonflies zooming between the plants and waterbugs dancing on the surface, while a group of Japanese Koi swim below can be a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. .

Outdoor water gardens normally consist of a container and moving water with various plants and fish. It can also include a diverse group of fauna, including amphibians reptiles and many species of insects like water striders and Dragonflies. Larger water gardens will draw many different species of birds who wil drop in for a drink, so you might think about providing an area where they will be able to reach the water.

Watching new flowers open or the plants you started as small sprout grow to maturity and then produce their own babies can be very fufilling.