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Another Reason to Have a Garden Pond

July 23rd, 2011

Last year we installed a small garden pond. It used to reside in my parent’s garden until they replaced it with a 350 gallon livestock tank. I’ve talked about how great it is to increase biodiversity in your garden and installing a water feature is a great way to do this. You’ll create a little niche for water loving things like fish, frogs, toads, water beetles and wildlife. It also allows you to incorporate water plants. I was lucky enough to get a water lily from my parents, which I planted in the pond not long after it was installed.

Last year the water lily put up some leaves and this year it’s been doing much better. My mom’s started blooming quite a while ago, so I wasn’t expecting mine to bloom until next year, figuring it would take another year to get established

Then, this past Wednesday I noticed a bud right under the water. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to emerge and open up. Happily, Thursday morning I noticed it was out of the water. Then later Thursday morning it opened up. I’m so happy I was around to see the bloom and it didn’t wait until I went on vacation!


No doubt I will have a few more blooms this summer. Water lily blooms are definitely one of the many reasons to incorporate a small pond in your garden.

Any great water plants in your garden pond?

15 Comments to “Another Reason to Have a Garden Pond”
  1. KimH on July 23, 2011 at 7:13 am

    I havent got a pond at the moment.. Im planting veggies where we are planning to put a water pond in.. My honey just never moved forward fast enough to get the job started so I planted a garden there instead. ;)

    Love your water lilies.. They’re just beautiful!!

    Reply to KimH's comment

  2. Sande on July 23, 2011 at 8:56 am

    We always put water hyacinth in (doesn’t overwinter here in MI) It has a beautiful flower and helps the water quality. The koi like to nibble on the roots too. But in the summer heat it quickly overproduces and I end up pulling some of it out to add to the compost pile.

    Reply to Sande's comment

    • Susy on July 23, 2011 at 9:55 am

      I had a water hyacinth last year, it nearly took over the pond. I kept fishing some out and throwing them off to the side to fertilize the plants around the pond. It does bloom beautifully!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. Donna B. on July 23, 2011 at 9:11 am

    Goodness – water lilies can overwinter in a pond in the north? Yours is heated, or do you let nature run it’s course? I adore, ADORE water plants and yours is just STUNNING.
    I also read recently that Lotus can be grown in the north – and overwintered if planted in the “ground”…
    I think I need to hunt for a pond liner. The “Dig a hole – fill with concrete and shape” method doesn’t seem doable right now, haha!
    The urgency to get a pond installed in my yard is getting worse. In a good way! XD
    [I have a fall project to add to my list of many. ♥]

    Reply to Donna B.'s comment

    • Susy on July 23, 2011 at 9:55 am

      No heating necessary, it survives just fine in my small 50-70 gallon pond. You certainly won’t regret the time & money used to install a small garden pond!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. Sincerely, Emily on July 23, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Good timing. Today, I will be out tilling up two areas to sink two tanks in the back yard for a water garden. I need a place for our toads to get water and lay eggs and invite some frogs to our yard too. Your water garden is very beautiful. I am glad it is working well for you. Ours will be above ground a bit so I will landscape around them. Emily

    Reply to Sincerely, Emily's comment

  5. Sherri on July 23, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Beautiful bloom! The water looks really healthy and it looks like you’ve got lots of nooks and crannies for creatures of all kinds.

    Reply to Sherri's comment

    • Susy on July 23, 2011 at 1:38 pm

      It’s funny our neighbors have a pond too, but they clean the water so it’s completely clear – then they have to feed their fish. We don’t feed our fish because have enough algae & other things to eat since we don’t clean the water.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  6. Barefeet In The Kitchen on July 23, 2011 at 10:43 am

    That lily is beautiful! I can hardly wait to have our pond in this fall.

    Reply to Barefeet In The Kitchen's comment

  7. Toni in TN on July 23, 2011 at 11:33 am

    Here in the south, ponds mean just one thing, snakes. So no pond or water features for this tarheel girl.

    Reply to Toni in TN's comment

    • Susy on July 23, 2011 at 12:11 pm

      My mom has water snakes in her larger pond, we’ve seen them eating frogs & fish.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  8. Alyssa on July 24, 2011 at 10:18 pm

    I love the water lillie! Everywhere I see one in my travels I snap a picture, they are just too beautiful to pass up!

    Reply to Alyssa's comment

  9. Kris@The Elder Care Resource on July 25, 2011 at 11:07 pm

    What a beautiful water lily flower! You are very lucky to witness the blooming of this flower. Now I can’t wait for our backyard garden to get finished and see what will bloom in my garden.

    Reply to Kris@The Elder Care Resource's comment

  10. Overwintering the Garden Pond | Chiot's Run on October 28, 2011 at 6:05 am

    […] into it which kept it from freezing. I know it doesn’t freeze through to the bottom because my water lily survives, but I’m wondering if the fish will survive. Does anyone have any advice for me on what to do […]

    Reply to Overwintering the Garden Pond | Chiot’s Run's comment

  11. Nice Pond Heaters photos | on February 16, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    […] it which kept it from freezing. I know it doesn’t freeze through to the bottom because my water lily survives, but I’m wondering if the fish will […]

    Reply to Nice Pond Heaters photos |'s comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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