Water gardens are a captivating addition to any outdoor space. Whether you have a small pond or a large, tranquil water feature, the right plants can enhance its beauty by creating stunning reflections on the water’s surface. The combination of plants and water adds a natural, serene feel to your garden while also attracting wildlife. reflections water gardens In this article, we’ll explore the best plants that offer fabulous reflections in your water garden.
Why Choose Plants for Your Water Garden?
Plants serve more than just an aesthetic purpose in water gardens. They provide shade, help maintain water quality, and create a habitat for beneficial insects and fish. Moreover, plants like those we’ll discuss can create gorgeous reflections, transforming your garden into a magical oasis.
1. Water Lilies: The Classic Reflective Plant
Water lilies are probably the most well-known plant for water gardens. Their broad, floating leaves and beautiful flowers make them a perfect choice for creating reflections.
- Reflection Quality: Water lilies sit flat on the water’s surface, making their circular leaves and colorful blooms reflect perfectly.
- Best Varieties: Look for hardy water lilies if you live in a cooler climate, or tropical water lilies for warmer areas. Some popular varieties include ‘Attraction’ (red) and ‘Comanche’ (yellow-orange).
2. Lotus: Majestic Beauty Above the Water
Another iconic water garden plant, the lotus, produces large, showy flowers that rise above the water, making it a great choice for creating dramatic reflections.
- Reflection Quality: The lotus leaves and flowers rise above the water, casting both shadow and reflection.
- Best Varieties: ‘American Lotus’ and ‘Sacred Lotus’ are fantastic options. They need full sun and thrive in warmer climates.
3. Water Lettuce: Floating Green Carpets
Water lettuce provides a soft, floating texture across the surface of the water. Its rosette shape creates a calming, green reflection, perfect for adding lushness to your water garden.
- Reflection Quality: The soft, velvet-like leaves create a delicate reflection, almost mirroring the sky.
- Best Varieties: Choose dwarf varieties if you have a small pond. Larger varieties can spread quickly, offering more reflective surface area.
4. Water Hyacinth: Vibrant and Versatile
Water hyacinth is another floating plant known for its striking flowers and lush green leaves. It grows rapidly, providing excellent coverage.
- Reflection Quality: With its glossy leaves and colorful flowers, water hyacinth adds both color and texture to the reflection.
- Best Varieties: The common water hyacinth is perfect for most water gardens, but it should be monitored as it can spread rapidly.
5. Japanese Iris: Bold Colors Along the Edges
Japanese iris (Iris ensata) is a stunning plant that grows well around the edges of water gardens. Its tall, elegant stalks with vibrant flowers add vertical interest and reflections to your pond.
- Reflection Quality: The tall stalks and bold flowers of Japanese iris create dramatic reflections, especially when planted along the water’s edge.
- Best Varieties: ‘Variegata’ (striped foliage) and ‘Kumo-no-obi’ (purple and white blooms) are popular choices.
6. Cattails: Tall and Graceful for Larger Ponds
Cattails are a classic plant often found in natural wetlands and around the edges of ponds. They add height and texture to water gardens.
- Reflection Quality: Their tall, vertical stems cast long, slender reflections that add depth to the water.
- Best Varieties: The common cattail is ideal for larger ponds, but dwarf varieties are also available for smaller water gardens.
7. Pickerelweed: Adding a Pop of Purple
Pickerelweed is a striking aquatic plant that features heart-shaped leaves and spiky purple flowers. It grows well in shallow areas of ponds.
- Reflection Quality: The large leaves and upright flowers create lovely, textured reflections on the water’s surface.
- Best Varieties: Choose ‘Pontederia cordata’ for its beautiful purple flowers that bloom all summer.
8. Water Poppy: Small but Mighty
The water poppy is a lesser-known but stunning floating plant with small, buttercup-like yellow flowers that sit just above the water.
- Reflection Quality: Its glossy leaves and delicate flowers create soft, radiant reflections.
- Best Varieties: ‘Hydrocleys nymphoides’ is a popular choice, perfect for smaller ponds or container water gardens.
9. Parrot’s Feather: Fine Texture and Soft Reflections
Parrot’s feather is an unusual aquatic plant with feathery, green foliage that grows along the surface of the water. It’s often used to provide texture and cover in water gardens.
- Reflection Quality: The fine, feathery leaves create soft, intricate reflections, almost blending with the water.
- Best Varieties: ‘Myriophyllum aquaticum’ is the most commonly used variety for decorative water gardens.
10. Floating Heart: Delicate Blooms for Subtle Reflections
The floating heart plant is a charming addition to any water garden. Its small, heart-shaped leaves and tiny yellow flowers add a touch of elegance.
- Reflection Quality: The floating heart creates subtle but beautiful reflections, especially when paired with other larger plants.
- Best Varieties: ‘Nymphoides peltata’ is a popular choice for its dainty blooms and reflective qualities.
Care Tips for Water Garden Plants
While these plants are relatively low-maintenance, there are some care tips to ensure they thrive in your water garden and continue providing beautiful reflections:
- Sunlight: Most water garden plants need at least six hours of sunlight daily to grow and bloom effectively.
- Water Depth: Some plants like water lilies and lotus need deeper water, while others like irises and cattails prefer shallow areas.
- Maintenance: Keep plants pruned and free from dead foliage to prevent the spread of algae.
- Balancing Plant Coverage: Aim to cover about 50-70% of your water surface with plants to maintain a healthy ecosystem and keep water temperatures stable.
Enhancing Reflections with Lighting
While natural sunlight will bring out the best reflections, consider adding low-voltage or solar-powered lights around your water garden for evening illumination. Soft lighting can create a magical atmosphere and enhance the reflective qualities of your plants.
Conclusion
The right plants can transform your water garden into a tranquil haven with stunning reflections. By carefully selecting a mix of floating, submerged, and marginal plants, you can create a balanced and visually appealing water garden. Whether you opt for the classic water lilies or the striking cattails, each of these plants will provide fabulous reflections, elevating the beauty of your outdoor space.