Water Hawthorn (Aponogenton)
Aponogeton distachyos is among one of the most effective Deep-water aquatics, it is an easy plant to grow with leaves which are often evergreen and flowers that appear for months on end. These curious flowers borne on spikes which float around the surface, each flower has waxy white petals and black anthers. The fragrance is powerful, variously described as 'vanilla and 'Hawthorn-like'. The oblong leaves tend to be blotched with brown and also the eventual spread is about 2 ft. Unlike a Water Lily it will eventually flourish in partial shade and moving water, but be sure that it’s deep enough for the tubers to be below the ice in winter.
Pond Lily (Nuphar)
This is a relative from the Water Lily family but it isn’t as attractive as it's illustrious cousin. The flowers are small, rather plain and are carried on thick stems above the water. You will find, however, a few distinct advantages, light ans shade is no problem and neither is moving water. For an average sized pond choose 'Nuphar minima' (N. pumila). The yellow flowers are about 1inch across and the under-water foliage is translucent. Unfortunately, the kinds on offer are often the large ones including N. lutea (Brandy Bottle) with its 3 inch bottle shaped yellow flowers which smell strongly of alcohol. This is only ideal for a big pond or lake.
Water Fringe (Nymphoides)
There is simply one basic species - Nymphoides peltata, commonly known as Floating Heart. In your catalogues you would possibly find it listed as Villarsia bennettii or Limnanthermum nymphoides. The miniature Water Lily-like leaves measure about 2 inches across and are sometimes crinkly edged and blotched or spotted with brown. The 11/2 inch yellow flower is more like a Buttercup than a Water Lily, and also the petal edges are fringed. The blooms are borne in small clusters. This is often a useful plant for giving rapid surface cover before Water Lilies have become established, however it could get out of hand.
Golden Club (Orontium)
Orontium aquaticum is usually a trouble free and non-invasive plant with only one fussy requrement, it does need a great deal of soil, so make sure you plant it in a deep Water Lily basket. It can grow in shallow water, but it needs a planting depth of not less than 1ft. if you'd like the leaves to float over the water surface rather than standing erect out of the water. The foliage is attractive with blue-green above and silvery below. The superlative feature of this member of the Arum family is the bizarre flower head. This stands above the water like a pure white pencil having a tip that is coloured gold by a mass of little yellow florets. This is one aquatic plant that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.
Author Resource:-
For my next article I’ll be writing in regards to the floating plants that you would possibly think about placing into your pond. There are actually eight in particular that I would like to mention so I might have to separate them into a couple of small articles. Happy reading to you all. I would certainly also like to take this opportunity to thank the 'gardener london' company that have given me help and advise all through the numerous years that I have been gardening.host gator
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