Tips on container water gardens

Credit: Brand X Pictures/Home and Garden/Alison Miksch

Half barrels and large, well-glazed ceramic pots are ideal containers for water gardens.

For an effective water garden include a variety of water plants in your container (oxygenating plants, floating plants and ornamental aquatic plants, such as miniature water lilies).

Container water gardens provide the perfect way to introduce the calming presence of a water feature into a small area. Submersible water pumps and simple bamboo waterspout fixtures, etc., are all readily available, allowing you to incorporate a small waterfall effect into your container planting of water plants.

Be careful about where you place your container water garden, as a full day of sun exposure may warm the water to intolerable levels for both your plants and fish (if you choose to include them). To avoid this problem, use the largest container you can and position it in a spot where it will not be exposed to sun all day.

Note: Partial sun will be necessary for water lilies to bloom.