Water gardens in containers - a great way to convert a small fish pond into a miniature water garden feature. Easy to do? Yes, and the results can bring a relaxful atmosphere, and create an ambience out of all proportion to such a simple action. Why? Because there is something about a water garden feature that nothing else can quite provide. And if your area is small, tiny even, water gardens in pot can make the difference between, well, ordinary, and superb.

One easy way to add this atmosphere, this feeling, is to simply use glazed pots without drainage holes. They're quite suitable. They look good. In fact, if the right pot is chosen, a single pot can look fabulous.

So what can you do to create your water garden feature? Well, you can utilize one or two water lilies or water poppies, something fish can live in. Then pop in a couple of fish, colourful ones that can be readily seen. This, in itself, can provide an effective point of interest in a very small garden. Late winter and early spring are the best times to introduce water lilies to such a water container. We’ll discuss the introduction of our fish further below.

Position the pot in a warm sunny spot, away from overhanging trees which may drop their leaves. If you live in an apartment, you generally don’t have to worry about leaves. Just watch out for any debris, though You don't want it to end up in your containers.

Don’t concern yourself with whether or not you should place your water garden near a window or doorway. This shouldn’t be a problem. Those koi (goldfish)of yours will gobble up all the larvae any foraging mosquito may deposit in that water garden container. To those little critters, it’ll be like an ice cream desert on top of their regular fish food.

Prepare the container by scattering some natural fertilizer, such as very well-rotted cow, or horse manure, or even slow- release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, over the bottom. Then apply a heavy layer of loam or clay soil, topping it off with a layer of coarse sand or light gravel to prevent the soil from floating up.

Plant the lilies in the soil provided below, then slowly fill the pot with water. If your water lilies are submerged, don’t panic. It doesn’t matter. Your water lilies will stretch towards the light, and in a few days, will settle on top of the water displaying their lovely waxy green leaves.

There are a number of beautiful water lilies available for your water garden in a container. These include varieties of Nymphaea pygmae.

If you want to introduce fish to your pond, you'll need consider some oxygenating aquatic plants to help absorb the impurities, those that produce beneficial oxygen and keep the water nice and clean. Also, there are several types of small snail that you can purchase along with your fish that will clean up rotting matter.

You may also like to introduce some floating plants. Duckweed, for example. Fish like to nibble on these. But avoid planting floating pond-weed. It is way too aggressive. In a very short time it will clog up your miniature water garden, cutting off light and oxygen.

A successful water garden container -pond, if you like- has the surface partially clear of plants to allow light to penetrate the water. However, it has to have enough foliage for fish to hide under from birds. It needs be a balance of plant matter to produce oxygenation, but not too much. After all, the whole idea is for you to get the benefit of the water aspect. You need to be able to readily see it.

You'll need to remove any finished water lily flowers or dead leaves to prevent polution. Because this type of pond is so small, it needs to be up kept clean at all times.To upkeep: Reeds, aquatic plants, water lilies and fish, can be readily purchased from specialist water-garden farms. Water Garden farm specialists will also be able to advise you on what is suitable in your particular circumstance. We suggest you use them.

Wild Celery (Vallisneria sp.)

Fanwort (Cabomba canadensis)

Anacharis (Egeria densa)

Arrowheads (Sagittaria sp.)

Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)

Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus isocladus)

Water Blue Bells (Ruellia brittoniana)

Cork Screw Rush (Juncus effusus)

Lotus and Water lilies Dwarf Varieties

'Joanne Pring'

'Tetragona'

‘Helvola’

‘Hilary’

'Red Flare'

'Wan-er Hong'

I hope you enjoyed our article, ‘Water Gardens in Containers, ‘ and from this information can create your own wonderful miniature water garden.

Happy Gardening,

Marty